You Again
by Tony-In-Distress
Summary: How to react when your best friend's older brother is marrying your former arch-nemesis. (Based on the movie 'You Again'.
1. Chapter 1

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"Ron! Owl for you!" Hermione balanced a plate in one hand, her wand keeping their clean pile steady with the other. Harry narrowly avoided Ron's legs as he barreled down the stairs three at a time, taking the letter from the tawny Owl's beak before she could land and rewarding it with a gentle pet to the head. Hermione placed the plate on the pile, using her wand to direct them all into a cupboard neatly and in stacks of four, "Who is it?" She asked him.

Ron scanned the envelope quickly as he absently kissed Hermione on the forehead, in a morning greeting. He'd barely read the first sentence before he scoffed, "Just mum."

"'Just mum'?" Harry asked, taking a seat at the table and thanking Kreacher for a plate of breakfast pancakes, "I'm sure she'll love to hear you say that."

"It's not that." Ron said, sitting opposite and reaching for his newly-made mug of milk, "I was just expecting something else."

"Like what?"

"Hm? Oh. Nothing really." Ron shoveled half a pancake into his mouth in a poor attempt at seeming mysterious, "Just post."

"You mean this?" Hermione asked, flicking a letter at him from where she stood, nursing a hot cup of coffee, "It came yesterday morning."

"What?!" Ron grabbed it, ripping open the black coloured seal, "Why didn't you tell me?" Hermione just smirked over the rim of her mug, watching as Ron's eyes darted over the paper, slowly getting more and more excited, "Yes!" He suddenly exclaimed, looking up at them both. Hermione didn't look too surprised at his reaction which made him slump a little, glaring at her, "Did you reseal this?"

"Of course not!" She looked offended enough for it to be the truth and Ron looked sheepish, "I just have a lot of faith in you, obviously." Ron's ears turned his usual red and he glanced back down at whatever it was that in his hands.

Feeling a little excluded, Harry raised an eyebrow at him, "Well? What is it?"

"Oh, sorry mate." Ron beamed at him, showing a folded certificate within the envelope, "It's my test marks and certificate. I passed!"

Harry grinned at him, "That's great!" Hermione joined them both at the table, reading the letter that had been sent from Mrs Weasley, "That's all of us now."

"Yeah. A year late, but I got there in the end." Ron's excitement was infectious and it reminded him of his own when he'd first passed the Ministry's APC [Auror-Public-Care] Module, just a year ago. Ron had been behind by just a few marks so his passing now was inevitable but it still felt like something to celebrate. Now the three of them were once again working together, like their school days.

"We knew you would," Harry assured him, gesturing with his head at Hermione who still reading the letter, "We should write to your mum and tell her."

"Yeah," Ron said, "She'll be so pleased, she knows how angry I was last year at that mark."

"Mm." Hermione agreed, her eyes glued to the pages, and they both shared a look past her that she caught on to, "Sorry. I'm just reading."

"What does Mum say?" Ron asked, "That she misses us?"

Hermione smiled, "Well, I don't think we'll have to _write_ to her to tell her about your passing. She's invited us to stay for a bit."

"Oh really?" Ron peered over at the letter, "Good. It's been a while since since I've been home properly," He and Hermione had been renting a small apartment in London a year after the War, when the Burrow had proved much too crowded for two couples to stay together in the same room. So, at around the same time that Harry had officially moved himself into Grimmauld Place, Hermione had shopped around for an apartment within their budget as trainee-Aurors.

"Yes, it'll be lovely." Hermione murmured, "Especially since it's for a wedding."

"A what?" Harry asked, thinking of Percy and Penelope.

"Whos?" Ron sounded just as bewildered as he did.

"Your brother," Hermione answered calmly, "Charlie. He's getting married next Tuesday and we've all been invited."

Ron blinked twice, swallowing the last of the milk from his mug before exclaiming, " _Charlie?_ My _brother_ Charlie? Charlie Weasley?"

"The very same." Hermione nodded.

Harry frowned, looking down at the letter himself, "I didn't even know he was seeing anyone."

"Me neither." Ron muttered, coughing into his hand, "Blimey."

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* * *

.

"Ron!" Mrs Weasley dropped the washcloth that she was holding when she saw the three of them apparate into the back garden, running toward them and pulling him into a tight hug, "Oh I've _missed_ you so much." She ruffled his hair while he grinned down at her, clearly having felt the same though he didn't say it. Mrs Weasley then turned her hug to Hermione, squeezing her just as tight, "It's so nice to see you again after all this time!"

"You too," Hermione's smile was bright.

"And _Harry!_ Oh Harry, come here."

"Hello Mrs Weasley," Harry smiled at her, opening his arms and hugging her before she could do the same to him, "You look well."

"Oh thank you. I've been using this cleansing-potion that Charlie's fiance made for me last month," She placed her hands over her face, "I feel so refreshed whenever I use it."

"You've met them?" Ron asked, suddenly a lot more interested, "Why did you never mention them to me? I didn't even know Charlie _had_ a someone let alone a fiance."

"I only found out very recently as well, Ron, don't you worry," She beckoned them, "Come in, come in. It's so cold out here."

They all followed her inside, shedding their coats once with the fire from the Burrow doing a perfect job of keeping the place toasty. The clock showed the family at 'Home', all except Charlie, Bill and the newly-added Fleur, who were 'travelling'.

"You said 'last month' Mum, so by recently do you mean a 'year', or - ?"

"I hadn't _met_ them that month, I'd only received the potion and a letter from Charlie informing me that he'd gotten engaged." She started chopping some olives over the counter, gesturing that they sit and ignoring their protests that they had literally just eaten before coming, "And what a shock that was! No letters in two years and then suddenly, 'guess what mum! I'm getting married!' Honestly."

Harry laughed, "But that's good isn't it? I thought you always wanted Charlie to get married."

Mrs Weasley plopped her ingredients into the pot, stirring a little too harshly, "Oh I do, of course I do! I was just a little - _surprised_ , is all. When I met him." She wiped a hand across her forehead, "Charlie's fiance, that is, and - " There was a knock at the door and she dropped the spoon, hurrying toward it, "That must be them now, they were staying at Bill and Fleur's for the week. Take over the soup, would you Ron?"

Sighing, Ron heaved himself up and continued from where she'd left off, following the recipe book beside it, "So Mum isn't much of a fan. Not a good sign."

"She didn't say she didn't _like_ him." Harry corrected, "Just that she was surprised."

"Well mum's known Charlie was gay since he was 11 so it not because it's a guy. Why else would she say that unless she didn't - "

"She had a problem with Fleur before as well, remember." Hermione reminded him, "And look how well that turned out."

"Oh yeah." Ron's expression cleared, obviously remembering all the arguments between his mother and her daughter-in-law. "That's true."

"Exactly." Hermione turned the page when Ron's elbow couldn't manage, "It's probably just her way of coping with giving her sons away." Ron just shrugged, looking up when Mrs Weasley finally came back. She immediately replaced him and continued with the soup, gesturing that he go into the other room. Harry and Hermione both stood to follow him in, nervous and excited all at once.

Harry had only seen Charlie Weasley a total of three times but it wasn't as though he was a complete stranger either, and there was something wildly different about him and the other Weasleys. Probably because he lived in Romania, or that he worked with Dragons for a living, which gave him the look of a battle-worn hero - something that Harry was also seen as, though his looks did not come off quite as chiseled.

"Charlie!" Ron was engulfed by his older brother's body when they hugged, arms wrapped around shoulders that only a Quidditch player could build and when they pulled apart, Harry could see Charlie's smiling face. He had a new scar on his cheek, making his features look a lot more defined, "It's so good to see you!"

"You too," Charlie knocked him upside the head, an inch shorter than Ron, adding, "Little brother's not so little anymore," Before turning to Harry with just as wide a smile, "Hey Harry. How've you been?"

"Good. Really good." Harry shook his hand, Charlie's warm grip rough against his skin. His hair had obviously regrown a lot since he'd last seen him but it was a cleaner cut this time, tied neatly back with a small ponytail.

"Better now that You-know-Who's finally gone, I'll bet," Charlie said and Harry laughed in agreement, nodding. He noticed Harry looking at his hair and smiled, "Draco sorted it out for me. I'd been meaning to get it cut, kept flying into my face when I was flying with the dragons, but I didn't want it as short as Mum likes it."

Harry's thoughts stuttered to a halt and he watched as Charlie turned to Hermione, greeting her warmly as well. Draco?

"It really has been so long, I'm glad you're well." Hermione was stammering, blushing, "And yes. Ron and I are - um - we're fine," Charlie raised an eyebrow, looking at Ron over his shoulder, "We are!"

"Yeah I'm sure. 'Fine'. I'm just glad me and Draco won't be the only couple under watch at night," This time Harry was sure he heard right.

" _Draco?"_ Ron sniggered, "Who's - is that him? Your fiance?" He glanced at Harry as if to say 'poor guy', which cleared Harry's head a little. Of course, lots of people were called Draco, weren't they? It couldn't be Malfoy. Charlie wasn't stupid enough to marry a Malfoy.

"Yeah," Charlie grinned at them, "I was hoping you'd know him. He did say he went to Hogwarts, but Slytherins and Gryffindors never really mix so I wasn't sure if you'd actually know each other or not."

"Hold on." Hermione stepped between them, the three of them forming a tight line, facing Charlie headfirst. "Are we talking about the same person here, because - "

"There's no way." Ron's voice cracked and he was staring at Charlie like he'd never seen anything so horrific before. Charlie was oblivious however, and he just nodded.

"Well I hope so. Hogwarts can at least be something that you all had in common, let him find his footing in England again. Well, just for the wedding anyway, you know?" Hermione hummed slightly whilst Harry and Ron just gaped, "I'll just go get him, he's with Bill and Fleur outside. They've got a new car, did you know?"

"No. I didn't." Ron murmured and Charlie left the room, leaving them in silence. Harry stared after him, not quite sure if this was real or not, but before he could say anything Ron said it for him, "Am I dreaming?"

"Let's not react until we're sure," Hermione said, but Ron held up a hand, looking calm despite his words.

"He said Draco. Then he said Slytherin, and then Hogwarts," His face then morphed into panic, "Who else could that be?!"

Hermione opened her mouth to reply but it was lost when the doors opened again and Charlie stepped back inside. They all turned toward him, tensing, because right behind him, stepping into the light from the windows, was also Draco Malfoy. And there was no doubt now, it was him. His face had softened slightly since they had last seen him but his hair was just as blond, tucked behind both ears in a cut that just reached the collar of his shirt. He looked different, dressed in casual _muggle_ clothes and a small black hat, and they each shared a look between them.

"Guys," Charlie straightened and Draco gave him a small smile before turning to them, "I'd like you to meet my fiance," Malfoy gave them a wave. He had a long scar down his forearm that looked similar to a claw mark and he wasn't as pale as he'd always been. Harry was even surprised to notice that he had _freckles_ now, a light dusting over his nose and cheeks that was likely due to the heat from Romania.

"Hello," Malfoy looked at Ron first, his grey eyes calculating and Hermione's hand twitched near her wand-pocket as she waited to hear what he'd say after all these years, "Ronald?" His smile became something a little wider, more polite, and they all braced while Charlie peered through the open door to say goodbye to Bill.

"Yeah ..." Ron narrowed his eyes, "And before you start on us Malfoy, maybe we should do this somewhere - "

Malfoy spoke over him, however, "You're taller than I expected," He said lightly, and Ron glared,

"Look - "

"But really," Malfoy continued and Harry clenched his fists at his syrupy tone, "It's so good to _finally_ ," Hermione stiffened, her lips thin, "Finally meet you." Charlie shut the door fully with a solid click, turning back to them all with an unwavering smile, while Malfoy's words were met with shock.

" _What?"_

Harry choked on his breath, turning away and clearing his throat but his hand was grabbed by Hermione before he could say anything. He almost ignored her to ask just what kind of game Malfoy was playing here, but then he noticed her gesturing toward Charlie and he relented. Whatever they could say, they'd say when he wasn't around.

" _Meet_ me?" Ron managed to force out. "Are you - ?"

Malfoy nodded, "Yes, Charlie told me a bit about you but - well. Hogwart's was so big, it's hard to meet every single student so I wasn't really surprised to hear that we'd never met."

"Really." Hermione's gesturing had obviously reached Ron too but he was still practically vibrating with anger. "You'd think that some people would be _memorable_ enough."

Malfoy's smile faltered a little but he picked it right up, "You'd think." He agreed, nodding, "But like I said. Big school." Charlie ran a hand down Malfoy's side, turning him toward Hermione.

"And this is Hermione Granger, Ron's girlfriend and also a future Auror," Malfoy offered his hand with a smile and Hermione took it, her nails digging in until they released each other with a yank, "Might even be your sister-in-law one day too."

Hermione forced a laugh, her teeth clenched together but Ron stepped up before she could say anything, "She's the brightest witch her age. I'm sure you'd remember _her_."

"Of course I do." Malfoy laughed, "I remember all of you, you were _famous_. I just didn't _know_ you. Personally anyway," He tucked a stray hair behind his ear.

"I'm Harry." Harry spoke up before the fight that Hermione was trying to prevent could happen, "Harry - "

"Potter, yeah." Malfoy stretched his hand out again and Harry took it numbly. "It's wonderful to meet you."

"Sure."

"Listen guys," Charlie walked around them all to grab his wand from where he must have left it, "I'm just going to help Draco set up his stuff for tonight so we'll leave the rest for later. We aren't allowed to sleep in the same bed, Mum's orders." Hermione's face twitched, "Goes for you two, too." He pointed at Ron with a smirk.

"I think it's better that way," Malfoy said, raising an eyebrow at him, "We can get to know each other better."

"Very true," Charlie said.

"Woah, wait, what do you mean?" Ron asked but Mrs Weasley chose that moment to enter the room.

"Charlie what are you still doing down here?" She frowned, "Those beds won't make themselves!" Shooing him away, she smiled at Malfoy, "Hello again dear. I've got a soup on the way, would you like a bite?"

"Oh no, thank you." Malfoy gave her a sickeningly sweet smile, "We ate at Bill's, already," Mrs Weasley just nodded, her eyes kind despite her words from before, "I'll just go help Charlie with the beds, he's - not so good at domestic spells."

"But you are?" Ron blurted. Malfoy ignored him and left the room to head upstairs, missing how Mrs Weasley hit her son with the end of her spoon, "Ow! _Mum!"_

"You are not allowed to be rude to him under this roof!"

"Mum!"

"No! I won't have it!" She brandished the spoon on Harry and Hermione as well. "That goes for you two, as well!"

"But mum is he _serious?_ It's Malfoy!" Ron rubbed the back of his head, his cheeks red from anger, "How could Charlie be so stupid?"

"I know it's a Malfoy, Ronald, but your brother is very serious about this." She sighed, putting her hands on her hips, "When I asked him the same, he refused to listen about 'family- _feuds'_. Said they were a thing of the past and that we should all grow up." She chuckled, "I suppose he's right, in a way, and I've decided to ignore the past. I suggest you do as well."

"Fat chance," Ron scoffed, "I am not having a Malfoy as my bloody in-law." Mrs Weasley gave him a warning look but left the conversation at that, heading back to her soup. The three of them stood in silence for a while before Hermione finally sank into a chair, staring up at Ron, "Ron, maybe your mum's right."

"Are you _joking_?"

"It's been four years, don't you think we should we should let let this all go?"

"No." Ron said shortly.

"Ron. If your brother thinks Malfoy is someone he wants to marry then maybe Malfoy gave him a reason to think that."

"Yeah, and maybe it was a big fat lie parceled and packed with a rich-blond- _bow_." Hermione rolled her eyes at him but, thankfully, Ginny came downstairs in a ginger blur and dissolved any of their tension.

She saw their faces and sighed, "Malfoy right?" They nodded, "Did you see how he looks now? It's just not _fair._ "

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* * *

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Harry spent the evening with Ginny in the garden, catching up. She'd had her first practice-match a fortnight ago and she was still brimming with her excitement about it all, bursting with new anecdotes and tips which he followed up with on his Auror work. It was nice but eventually their conversation steered toward the Wedding.

"So. Charlie," She murmured and Harry nodded, letting her lean against his shoulder, "I can't believe he's getting married. He always swore that he never would."

"Maybe Malfoy spiked him with love potion."

She laughed into the darkening sky, "Nah. I already checked." Harry looked at her, realising she was serious. "What? I had to be sure! George helped."

"And?"

"And ... nothing." She sighed. "Charlie is completely of his own free will. No _imperio_ , no potions, no blackmail. Nothing. We were thorough too. Even got dad to do a little digging, soon as he found out who Charlie's _perfect_ fiance was." She grumbled, "Course he's now fallen for 'Draco's' charm as well. Just like mum."

"Your mum said she was just giving him a chance."

"That's what she _says_." She glared at nothing, "Did he pretend not to know you as well?"

"Yeah."

"Git." Harry laughed. "Well. The truth'll come out one way or another, and I hope it bites him hard. I'm not having him as my brother-in-law, Harry, no way."

"How did they even _meet?"_ Is what Harry wanted to know. What had made Malfoy go all the way to Romania?

"His Ministry sentence," Ginny answered. "Right after the War, when his dad was thrown into Azkaban, his Mom was put under a year's House-arrest. Malfoy was put into community service and Professor McGonagall suggested Romania. A rehabilitation and learning experience, she said," Harry looked at her and she smiled, explaining, "I watched it in my dad's pensive."

Last year, Mr Weasley had confiscated a pensive from a wizard merchant who had been trying to con a muggle family into using it, and as thanks he'd been allowed to keep it. It was polished everyday and kept stored in his study.

"So Malfoy was there as a punishment." Harry clarified and she nodded against his chest, "And he comes back with a future husband. Doesn't seem fair does it."

"Nope. Especially not with how he looks now too. I hate that more." He grinned, missing being with her every day more now that he'd gotten this little bit of time together, "I didn't even know he was gay."

"I think I did," Harry said, "Somewhere in my subconscious. I mean, I wasn't too surprised to find out he was marrying a man, just more surprised that it was Charlie than anything else."

"Yeah," Ginny hummed, snuggling in closer, "Yeah I think I know what you mean." They stayed like that for another half hour before Mr Weasley came out to both greet Harry and inform them that dinner was ready.

Malfoy sat beside Charlie at the table, two seats away from Mr Weasley; a man who he had regularly mocked not so long ago. He seemed right at home where he was, talking to Charlie mostly and eating everything that Mrs Weasley put in his plate.

"So, Ron. You're trying to become an Auror?" He asked over the table, passing the bowl of soup to Ginny at the other end but she only levitated it from his hands, "Just like Harry?"

Ron clenched his fists over the table and his mother gave him another of her warning looks, "Yeah just like Harry, and like Hermione too," He smiled then, looking around the table, "Er - actually. I wanted to say it before but I completely forgot." He turned to his Mrs Weasley and smiled, "I passed. I'm in the program officially, I start next month."

"Really? Oh Ron that's wonderful!" Mrs Weasley pressed a hand to her mouth, "Oh, I'm so _proud_ of you!" Ron grinned but then was suddenly lurched over the table when Ginny came up behind him with a hug. Hermione quickly saved his plate.

"Well done!" Ginny pressed a kiss to his head, knowing how embarrassed that that would make her brother and laughing when he finally managed to shake her off. Charlie gave him the thumbs up, excusing himself to go to the bathroom and Malfoy smiled at him as he went, keeping up his act well enough that Harry was almost impressed by it all.

"Yeah, yeah," Ron glared at Ginny when she tried to ruffle his hair, his ears predictably red, "I've still got a lot of work to do so don't get too excited."

"But you're well on your way to being a full-time Auror." Malfoy added, taking a sip of water from his glass. Ron looked at him, narrowing his eyes and trying to see the sarcasm for what it really was, "That's something."

"Yeah, well, what about you?" Harry snapped, swallowing when Malfoy turned his cool gaze onto him, "How did your life turn out after Hogwarts? Or are you still planning on sponging off of your dad's money for the rest of your life that it doesn't matter how hard you work?"

Malfoy blinked at him, visibly startling when Charlie came back inside and looked at the table; confused by the sudden tension that had arisen. Mrs Weasley was frowning at Harry, something that was very rare to see, but no one spoke for another minute to lighten the air.

"Er. No." Malfoy finally answered, clearing his throat, "After I left for Romania, my father died in Azkaban. He left his money to me, the manor and other savings to my mother, and I gave the majority of it away. I didn't have any need for that much money where I was and I thought - well I thought that Hogwarts could use it better. Professor McGonagall suggested I give half of it to the Bystanders foundation and the rest to the Muggle-care."

"To _charity?"_ Ron scoffed, "You expect us to - " He winced when Hermione kicked him under the table.

"Dennis Malaroy?" She asked, looking at Malfoy without any sort of scorn at all and it took a while for Harry to understand just what she was asking.

Malfoy shrugged, glancing at Charlie, "I didn't think they'd accept the money if they knew where it came from." He frowned then, "But - how do _you_ know?"

Mrs Weasley scraped her chair out as she stood, "Hermione works with a lot of charities in her spare time." She explained, looking so utterly proud that Hermione looked down at her plate with her cheeks pink, "She even started her own in Hogwarts, for the house-elves."

"SPEW." Harry added, "You might have noticed the badges that she made for them," Malfoy looked down, "Didn't - didn't _you_ make badges in Hogwarts once, Malfoy? What did they say again?"

Malfoy scrunched his bottom lip, taking another sip of water before replying, "You obviously have a better memory of Hogwarts than I do, Harry. I can't even remember the teachers that I had in my first years, let alone what I did in my free time."

"Right, of course." Harry looked Mrs Weasley then, noticing that she was still standing, "Are you alright Mrs Weasley?"

"What? Oh. Yes. I stood up for a reason, I just can't seem to remember what it was now."

"Dessert?" Charlie suggested and she clapped her hands and hurried into the kitchen. He snorted, "Always food with mum."

"Mm, like mother like son." Malfoy rolled his eyes at him, making Charlie give him a faux-stern look.

"So how did your father die?" Ginny suddenly asked, her voice strained. Harry held her hand under the table, remembering how Lucius Malfoy had snuck her Voldemort's diary in her second year, and how that obviously still affected her.

Charlie shifted to face her, his cheery face now becoming something a little more disapproving which let them all know that they were all on thin ice, "Can we have a different table conversation, please?"

"No it's okay." Malfoy shook his head, staring at Ginny head-on, "The - er. The letter that told me that he'd died said that he just stopped eating one day," Mrs Weasley chose that moment to come back inside then, holding two pies in each hand, "They said he was depressed."

"Good riddance." Ginny muttered into the noise that her mother had created setting the pies down but it was unfortunately heard nonetheless.

"Hey." Charlie gave her a dark look, "That's enough."

"Look I know my father was a horrible person, to you and to your family." Malfoy's voice had lowered into something almost inaudible, if not for the awkward hush over the table, "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't speak ill of the dead."

'What, like you used to?' Harry almost spat but Charlie looked thunderous and he didn't want Malfoy to win this round.

"I'm sorry Mrs Weasley, I'm going to head upstairs. Dinner was lovely but I'm too full to eat anything else."

"That's quite alright, dear," said Mrs Weasley with a smile.

"Ever the impeccable manners." Ginny muttered to Harry, ignoring how Charlie slammed his fork down when he heard her and followed Malfoy upstairs.

"Well." Mr Weasley spoke for the first time, blinking quickly, "Who wants pie?"

"Can you believe this?" Ron spluttered, a pillow under his arm, "We have to _share?_ With _Malfoy_." Harry just nodded. "Well I'm not. I'm taking the sofa."

"You can't." Ginny told him. "Charlie's sleeping there. He didn't want to make Mum and Dad move and if you sleep down there too, he'll only ask why."

"Then I'll tell him why. I'll tell him how his fiance is a dirty, lying, slimy little ferret that's going to pull him under the rug as soon as he's gotten what he wants from him."

"And how do you think he'll react to that?" Ginny asked, sounding amused, "You heard what he said to mum."

Leaving them to it, Harry decided to head upstairs with his own pillow and to see how the room had been set up himself. If he was going to share with Draco Malfoy, he could at least be comfortable during it. As he neared Ron's old bedroom however, he heard voices from inside and remembered how Charlie had followed Malfoy upstairs before.

" - told you this was a bad idea." Malfoy was murmuring and when Harry looked through the crack in the closed door, he saw him sitting up on a mattress with only a white t-shirt and a pair of shorts on.

"They're just being difficult." Charlie said, though Harry couldn't see him from where he was, "Give them a chance."

"Maybe I should just go and stay with my mother for now."

"How are you supposed to get to know them if you don't live with them, Draco?"

"I'll visit!" Charlie sighed and Malfoy looked down, "I'm not welcome here and I don't want to sleep here if I'm not."

"Mum loves you already. And so does dad. It'll only be a matter of time before - "

"No - Charlie, you don't understand."

"Then _explain._ "

Malfoy sucked in a breath, pressing his lips together, before shaking his head, "It doesn't matter." Harry darted back when Charlie sat next to Malfoy now, putting an arm around his shoulders.

"Listen. If you really want to go to your Mum's, that's fine by me. I'll drop you off right now if you're serious." Malfoy shut his eyes. "George'll be coming tomorrow morning anyway so it'll be crowded here, it's not a problem - "

"No." Malfoy picked at a strand of his hair, "I'm not running away. I'll give it - I'll give it another few days." Charlie beamed, pulling him closer.

"Thank you." Harry groaned inwardly, watching Malfoy smile that ' _I just got hit by a Hippogriff, feel sorry for me'_ smile at Ron's older brother, and he knew that he had to interrupt before Weasleys could be painted in any more bad light. Charlie didn't see his family nearly enough to know what they were really like nowadays, and he knew how persuasive Malfoy could be.

With as much noise as he could make, he opened the door and dumped his pillow down onto the nearest mattress. Malfoy had a mattress by the end of Ron's bed, while Harry's would be right beside it, making it easier to talk during the night if they wanted to.

Charlie glanced up when he came in, "Hey Harry."

"Hey," He looked at them both, "Sorry I was just heading to bed. Not interrupting anything am I?" Malfoy glared at him from where he sat but Charlie shook his head.

"Nah. I was just leaving." He looked at Malfoy then, "You okay?"

"Fine." Malfoy shoved his shoulder, "Go get backache on the sofa." Charlie smiled at him, leaning forward to share a kiss. Ugh. Harry turned away, feeling a little sick, and a minute later Ron thumped his way upstairs and practically threw his pillow onto the bed. Charlie walked past him.

"Night Ron."

Ron lay facedown on the bed and his voice was muffled by the blanket, "Mm." Charlie shook his head at him and nodded at Harry.

"Night Harry." Then to Malfoy, "Night Draco." Malfoy ignored him, sorting his own blanket out, "Night Draco. Night Draco. _Goodnight_ Draco - "

"Just _go,_ " Malfoy threw his pillow at him with a laugh and it was caught.

"Well I guess this is mine now," Charlie said, running down the stairs with it. Malfoy sighed, sounding truly amused, before getting up to go and get it back. They heard some running from downstairs, Charlie shouting in pain and Malfoy laughing some more.

Ron heaved himself up, looking at Harry slowly, "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Me too, mate," Harry muttered, "Me too."

.

* * *

.

Harry woke feeling more exhausted than he had been before he'd slept. He yawned his way to the bathroom, noticing that Malfoy's mattress was empty and didn't look slept in. He washed his face, brushed his teeth and put on something clean from the clothes that he'd packed for their stay here. Hermione's beaded bag had come in handy yet again, making their apparation here quick and light.

Ron grumbled in his sleep when he came back into the room but he left him there. Mrs Weasley could wake him if he was really needed but right now, he was just planning on having an early breakfast.

Everyone was already up when he came downstairs, however, and most of the family was sitting at the table. Mrs Weasley smiled at him when she saw him and beckoned him over, "Be a dear and wake Charlie and Draco up would you?" She handed him a plate of pancakes and he grimaced but she looked so earnest that he couldn't say no.

"Sure." She smiled again and he headed to the sofa. Charlie was on his back, lying over it with an arm around Malfoy who was lying on his side beside him, his head over Charlie's chest. Crookshanks was curled up between their legs, making the whole sight nauseating to look at.

Charlie shifted in his sleep, pulling Malfoy closer, and Harry decided that he'd had enough, "Charlie. Charlie, hey." He poked him. "Wake up." Malfoy moaned instead, jerking away suddenly when he realised where he was. He sat up, almost knocking the plate of pancakes out of Harry's hands and disturbing Crookshanks who only stretched and hopped down.

"Potter? Wh - " He ran a hand through his hair; it was sticking up Harry was pleased to find. Not so perfect all the time, then, "What time is it?"

"Nine in the morning." He dumped the pancakes on Malfoy's lap, "Here's your breakfast. Eat up." Malfoy took it before it could fall. His nose was pink from the cold, the fire having died down in the night. Harry left him to wake Charlie himself and went to have his own breakfast. He'd just finished his third pancake when Ron finally slumped into the kitchen, still in pyjamas and with a bad case of bed hair. Ginny joined him a minute later, looking much the same, and Harry and Hermione shared an amused look over their tea.

Mrs Weasley gave Ron and Ginny a plate of two fried eggs each, shouting over their protests at not having pancakes by informing them that they should have come down earlier if that's what they wanted. Ron just stabbed at his eggs until the yolk ran and he had to scoop it up with his fingers.

"Such a lovely sight." Hermione sighed at him.

They were spared Ron's answer by Malfoy and Charlie coming into the kitchen, both dressed and fully-awake now. Malfoy was holding Crookshanks in his arms and he was neither clawing to get down nor wailing in anger at being held. Hermione gaped and then scowled, holding a hand out toward him when Malfoy sat at the table.

"Crookshanks." She cooed, "Come here, boy," Crookshanks sniffed her fingers and turned his face away with a yowl. Hermione looked both outraged and hurt at that which made Charlie laugh.

"Don't take it personally, Hermione," He assured her, sitting beside Malfoy, "Norberta turned on me as soon as she decided she liked Draco better. I'm not even allowed to feed her anymore."

Malfoy looked smug, "That's only because she hates it when I'm angry." He showed them the scar on his forearm, "I shouted a bit when she gave me this."

"Never seen a dragon get into a bigger strop than Norberta when Draco won't come see her." Charlie looked so smitten that the table was suddenly a lot more interesting to look at.

"Speaking of," Malfoy turned to Harry then, "You should let Hagrid know how she's doing, she's gotten so big and she's the boldest of them all. Vicious though, especially if she doesn't like you." He looked at Charlie then, smirking.

"That's pretty surprising, seeing as Charlie's the best dragon-tamer there is." Ron snapped at him.

"Not the best, Ron," Charlie said, "And even I have trouble sometimes. Draco's been a real help out there, you wouldn't believe - "

"Charlie we're going to be late." Malfoy interrupted him, looking uncomfortable. Ron glaring at him outright was probably a factor in that.

"Late for what?" Hermione asked, looking at Crookshanks forlornly until the cat eventually clambered out of Malfoy's lap and ran around her legs under the table.

"Cake-testing," Malfoy smiled, now looking excited. "We wanted to get it done today before my Mother came, and Mrs Weasley wanted to come with us."

"Cake testing." Harry repeated, feeling lost, "For what?"

"Er. For the wedding cake?" said Charlie.

Ron choked on his egg and Harry felt much the same. With all the tension he'd completely forgot that that was what was happening here. Malfoy and Charlie weren't just together. They were getting _married_.

"Oh yeah." His voice sounded faint even to his own ears and Ginny drowned herself in her orange juice to hide her look of disdain. Charlie went to get Mrs Weasley while Malfoy petted Crookshanks, seemingly oblivious to the hurt on Hermione's face as her cat openly bathed in the attention.

"So Malfoy," Ron said, taking pity on Hermione and interrupting the petting, "What do you _do_ in Romania, exactly?"

"I help your brother manage his work,"Malfoy said, "I do the finance, care for the house, and help feed the dragons." He smiled down at Crookshanks, "It's good. Life in Romania's completely different compared to England but it is nice to be back. I'd forgotten how cold it gets here though."

"And Charlie _trusts_ you with the money?"

Malfoy looked up, his gaze hard, "Why wouldn't he?"

"Are you actually asking me that?"

Malfoy scraped his chair back and stood, towering over Ron who was still sitting, "Listen Weaselbee - "

"Oh Weaselbee." Ginny said, "So you do remember us then."

Malfoy's glare faltered and he opened his mouth to retort when the door opened and Charlie came back inside. Malfoy slumped, looking relieved and Charlie stopped, looking at them all with a frown, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Malfoy smiled at him, untying a white sweater from around his waist and pulling it on. He looked different with it on, warmer in the figurative sense, and his hair became slightly static and fanned over his cheeks. The effect was all the more impressive considering how unconscious it was. Harry shared a look with Ginny; it really _wasn't_ fair, "You ready? Let's go."

Charlie accioed his own jacket and Mrs Weasley came out of the kitchen dressed in a coat. "What was the shop you mentioned before?"

"It's called _Dessart,_ and it's in Norbury I think. I've got directions," Malfoy said, completely ignoring the rest of them again, "My mother's wedding cake was from there and they do all sorts of different personalised designs."

"Wonder if they do the words 'prat'." Ron whispered to Harry but Mrs Weasley heard and knocked him on the head with her knuckles, "Or the darkmark." He then added, evidently having a death wish.

Malfoy and Charlie had left the room by then, however but Mrs Weasley didn't seem willing to let that one go quite as easily. "Ronald Bilius Weasley!" He winced, ducking his head.

"Well it's true, mum!"

"Why don't we go with them?" Hermione asked, diving in before Mrs Weasley could burst from anger, "I doubt Charlie knows the first thing about cakes."

"No but Malfoy obviously does." Ginny countered, sitting back with her arms folded, "And I'd rather stay here."

"But - "

"Thank you Hermione," Mrs Weasley said, "But I think it's better if the group is small. George will be here soon anyway so I think it's best if you all stay here to keep him company." With that, she followed Charlie and Malfoy out and they all heard the door shut. Ginny got up to watch them walk to the back of the garden before apparating.

"They were holding hands." She commented, sticking her tongue out, "Merlin it's actually disgusting to look at. What is he up to?"

"I think he genuinely likes your brother, Ginny," Hermione said, pinching the bridge of her nose with her forefinger and thumb, "And I'll say what I said before. It's been _four_ years. If Malfoy's going to be polite, so am I."

"But you haven't been entirely." Ron pointed out.

"More so than you." She argued angrily, "Why did you mention the darkmark? It's lucky he'd gone by then."

"I don't care. Serves him right." He shoveled the rest of his now-cold-egg into his mouth and spoke with it full, "'e made our luf hell, 'mione."

"We weren't exactly passive _either_ , Ron." They argued for a bit longer, dredging up old memories and fights, where things Malfoy had done was countered with things that they had done themselves. Fights that they'd started and fights that Malfoy had. In the end, Harry had had to side with both of them.

"Look Ron. I agree with Hermione with that we were all as bad as each other, and that we were kids. We're 22 now, we need to let it go."

"What, so you'd be okay with Malfoy as a relative then?"

Harry snorted, "No. I wouldn't. I don't know why he's engaged to Charlie, but I know it can't be good."

"There! See!" Ron pointed his fork at Harry, glaring at Hermione, "Harry's never been wrong about Malfoy, he's up to something!" Hermione gave him a dirty look and stood, scooping Crookshanks up and heading upstairs.

"I think you annoyed her."

Ron sat back, looking a little guilty, but he just drank the rest of his juice instead, "I don't know why she likes to stick up for people like Malfoy. It always goes wrong for her and she always ends up being hurt by it, but she never learns."

They sat in silence for a bit then, Harry using his wand to get rid of the dishes and Ginny making them wash themselves with hers. Ron stood eventually to go and talk to Hermione but before he could leave the room he fell backward with a shout as George suddenly apparated an inch away, "Bloody hell!"

"Hey Ron," George grinned down at him, helping him up, "Nice to see your balance hasn't changed in your twenties."

"Nice to see you can still apparate in the house," Ron muttered, taking the hand and standing, "I thought dad stopped that."

"Changed it after the War," George explained, "I came round a few times to sleep in my old room and mum got sick of waking up to let me in the house," He leant closer, "Why? Does it bother you?" Ron just shoved him. "Hey Harry. Gin." Ginny flicked her hairband at him and he dodged, transfiguring it into a worm while she rolled her eyes and pulled another off her wrist to tie her hair back with, "You up for some flying later?"

"Why do you think I'm doing my hair? Don't want it whipping around, it's windy outside." She turned to Harry, "You want to come?"

"Yeah, alright." He'd missed flying. Not a lot of it was needed when being an Auror and he'd always felt most relaxed when in the air, "When?"

"Now." George said, looking around, "Where's Hermione?"

"Upstairs," Ron said, "We argued a bit about Malfoy." George's face suddenly darkened and he turned back to them.

"Oh yeah? Who's side did she take?"

"Malfoy's."

"Figures," George ran a hand through his hair. He had a large, furry ear in place of the one that he'd lost, and it changed colour when his mood visibly brightened, "But maybe they're right. Maybe we should involve Malfoy in the family stuff now."

"Don't you start," Ron muttered.

"No, I'm serious," George said, "If Charlie really wants Malfoy as a part of the family, then I guess he won't mind if we show him what that means."

"Er." Ginny gave him a disgusted look.

"Nothing sappy, don't worry," He rolled his eyes, "I mean _prankwise._ It is a family tradition, after all."

"You didn't prank Fleur." Ron pointed out.

" _Didn't_ we?" The implication of Fred's hand in it seemed so natural now but Harry noticed Ginny glance down for just a second when she realised that too. It was still raw he realised, even now, but George continuously mentioned his twin in the lightest memories, "Fleur was a good sport about it so Malfoy's gonna have to be too, if he wants to survive living with us."

"Are you ... saying we should 'act out'?" Ginny asked, starting to grin.

" _No_." George looked scandalised, "I'm saying we should show him just what being a part of this family means." Harry felt himself starting to smile as well, before suddenly recalling the conversation that he'd overheard between Malfoy and Charlie last night. He almost mentioned it to act as further proof that Malfoy was already close to leaving anyway but something kept him from blurting it out. It had been a private conversation, he shouldn't have even listened to it in the first place let alone telling others about it.

"What do you have in mind?" Ron asked and the three of them leant in closer when George held up a finger, disapparated, and then apparated back with a bag in his hand.

"It's a new-product. Still a working progress," He winked, "Call it an early wedding gift."

Bill and Fleur came over to stay in the evening and they all sat over the cushions beside the fire, talking about old memories and sharing stories. Malfoy had helped Mrs Weasley make the tea for everyone, likely in a deliberate attempt to avoid any questions about his time at Hogwarts, but Ron had still tried to involve him in the conversations. Unfortunately, he was very good at evading topics and his manners had the rest of the family fawning over him.

With their tea drunk now, however, Bill had started telling them all how he had badly crashed his new car the first time that he'd driven it and had had to confund the policeman that had come to check his license. They all laughed when Fleur made a face in memory of the moment, putting her face in her hands, and the atmosphere became rather domestic.

Something warm and longing lodged into Harry's stomach and his hand found Ginny's while they sat. Malfoy sat in front of Charlie on the same cushion, cross-legged and leaning into him. He looked both relaxed and smug and Ron kept muttering under his breath about him.

"Sitting next to Bill like they're old friends. He's _scarred_ because of his actions and he doesn't even bloody care." Hermione jabbed him in the ribs to shut him up, reminding him that it was Greyback and not Malfoy that had hurt Bill and at the time, Malfoy hadn't had a choice, "So he _says_."

"No, so _Harry_ said, remember," She snapped back and Ron settled down, still grumbling.

"So Draco," Bill said, smiling as his mother shook with laughter from his story, "Why in Merlin's name are you settling down with Charlie, of all people?" He raised an eyebrow, "You're obviously very smart, you're funny - "

"What are you trying to say, William?" Charlie asked, sitting up straighter and giving his brother a look.

"Just that he can clearly do better." Charlie threw a pillow at him and Mrs Weasley quickly scrambled to save the rest of the tea, "Sorry mum."

Malfoy was smiling at the display and he leant even closer into Charlie, "To tell you the truth, I really hated him at first. He was so enthusiastic about _everything_. Up at 5am, feeding the chickens, killing the chickens to feed the dragons, cleaning the fields and sorting through finance forms. I wanted to bury myself alive." They all laughed while Harry shared a look with Ginny and Ron continued grumbling, "But you warm up to the life there and ... I warmed up to him. He - " He laughed, shaking his head, looking a little embarrassed, "We had an argument once, actually, which was his _fault."_

Charlie grimaced, "Do we have to?"

"Yep," Malfoy's smile seemed to glow. The way he'd managed to win them all over was almost effortless, it was painful to watch, "And I went out into the field to cool down. But this _idiot_ had left Gregoir unchained - "

" - Gregoir's an Indian TriTail - " Charlie added.

"And he attacked me. I went flying into the mud and Charlie went - well. He went - "

"I was crying, I'll admit that. I thought I'd killed him because I was being a prick," He hugged Malfoy closer and Ginny gagged, "Elenda, our new healer, fixed him up and he spent about a week in bed."

"And then he made me dinner the day I was well enough to come down. Candlelit and everything, but I was still angry."

"He threw it all out and made his own." Charlie laughed.

" _Food_ iz not an apology," Fleur stated and Malfoy pointed at her.

"Exactly." He said, "I think it was then, when I saw that stupid kicked-puppy look, that I thought 'maybe'."

"Well you said 'yes'," Charlie reminded him, "So not a 'maybe' anymore."

"No," Malfoy agreed.

Mrs Weasley had pressed a tissue to her mouth and George made a face at her, "Mum feels sick too." He said to Harry and Bill kicked his leg out toward him.

"Mock all you want, George," He said, "I've got plenty of sappy stories about you and Angela." George threw his pillow at him and Mrs Weasley's wand shot out to move the tea to a shelf.

"Boys! Please!"

"Who's Angela?" Malfoy asked, looking at George, "Are you dating?"

"Is that so surprising?"

"It's just a question George," Charlie said, his voice hard.

"Yeah so was mine." Bill frowned at George now and he sighed, "Yes. Angela's my girlfriend. We've been together for about two years now," He paused, "I think anyway."

Malfoy snorted at that, "You think?"

"I don't actually know when we started dating," He clarified, "I thought it was when we first started working together and she says it's when we first started a prank-war together. So it's debatable but around two years, yeah."

"She works with you at the shop?"

George nodded, "Yeah we have some good times." He grinned before snapping his fingers, "Speaking of. She sent this over," He produced the bag that he'd shown Harry and the others earlier, "It's for you."

Malfoy blinked, looking both surprised and pleased and he reached over to take it before freezing, "Don't you ... own a joke shop?"

"Yeah, but this isn't from there," lied George, "She brought it in London last week. It's for baths though, so don't open it now."

"Really?" Malfoy took the bag, cupping it gently in his hands, "So it won't explode on me?"

"I think Charlie'd kill me if it did." George scoffed, "Not to mention Mum."

"That's very true." Mrs Weasley said, giving him a warning look anyway, and the rest of them laughed. Malfoy smiled down at the bag and Harry felt something akin to guilt squirm in his stomach.

That night, Ron and Harry settled into their beds and mattresses for the night and Malfoy decided to join them. He'd changed in the bathroom already and just set to folding the blankets and climbing under them.

"So Malfoy," Ron said, "Is Charlie rich?"

"What?" Malfoy looked up at him, surprised, "Not really. Why?" Ron didn't say anything and it took a second for it to click, "Just piss off Weasley."

"My house. I'll do as I please." Malfoy rolled over and didn't answer, "Wonder when it'll come out that you only use our firstnames around Charlie," Malfoy's shoulders hunched but he still didn't speak. Harry nudged Ron, shaking his head, "What?" He whispered, "He deserves it. I almost died because of his poison and he gets to just get over it like nothing ever happened."

"Leave it," Harry whispered back, "It's late. Let's just sleep." And eventually, after talking about Quidditch instead for a bit longer, and then Auror-tactics and how the last time that they'd slept like this Bill and Fleur had been getting married, they fell asleep. Malfoy remained curled with his back facing them both, his head tucked into his arms and the blanket wrapped around him.

Harry woke feeling groggy and with the start of a cold forming. He sneezed as he dressed and noticed that Malfoy's mattress was once again empty. The blanket was folded and there were slippers beside it. Ron moaned when he tried to wake him up but he got up and dressed as well, especially at the reminder of having pancakes this time. The bathroom wasn't free however, and when they knocked they heard Charlie and Malfoy's voices in there.

"Oi!" Ron knocked on the door, "Charlie, we need to brush our teeth."

"Just a minute," The door opened and Charlie let them in, "Dad built a second bathroom for guests remember, why don't you two use that?"

"Technically, I'm the guest," Malfoy said from where he was sitting, perched on the edge of the bathtub. Water was slowly filling it up and the bag that George had given him was in his lap.

"Exactly," Ron said, around his toothbrush. Harry sneezed again and he sniffed, his building cold getting worse, and Malfoy cringed at the sound.

"That's disgusting," He told him, but when Harry only rubbed at his nose, he rolled his eyes and said, "Accio _Aegritufen_." Lazily lifting his wand, and a second later a light blue bottle slapped into his palm, "Here," He held it out toward Harry, "It's my own recipe." Harry gave it a disturbed look, making it clear that that did not impress nor reassure him, "I got an _O_ in Potions," He then added, looking offended.

"It works, Harry," Charlie assured him, "Does the trick better than PepperUp." Harry just sniffed again, now that he knew Malfoy didn't like it, but he took the potion despite his plans to not actually use it. There was some PepperUp downstairs and he would rather use that than risk something that Malfoy had created himself.

"Thanks," He mumbled, taking his own brush and paste and going upstairs to the other bathroom, only coming back down again when he was washed and refreshed. He slipped the potion into his bag with another sniff and went back to find Ron.

Malfoy was sprinkling the bath with some powder from George's bag when he returned, looking both intrigued and wary as he watched the water sizzle on impact, "Oh," The illusion of a beach gradually appeared inside the water, equipped with fish, sand and the colour of the ocean, "That's - actually very impressive."

Charlie was watching him, smiling, and even Ron peered over the bathtub to catch a look. Malfoy scooped a hand through, his smile widening when the illusion ended and showed itself as the water it was, "Good. No point in a bath if you end up covered in sand." He slid his wand out of his pocket and Harry tensed automatically, relaxing when he saw that he was only warming the water a little more, "Right. Out now, please."

Ron rolled his eyes, taking Harry by the arm and leading him out. Charlie only stopped to give Malfoy a peck of a kiss before leaving as well, "Enjoy your bath. You've moaned enough for one, I hope it's worth it."

Malfoy just made a face at him and shut the door afterward, locking it. After Charlie had headed down, Harry heard a splash from within a few minutes later and he shared a look with Ron, "Looks like we won't have to wait long to see what that powder does."

Ron sniggered, "Come on, let's go downstairs before we look suspicious."

Hermione had saved Ron a plate of pancakes when they came down and he was so pleased that he kissed her right at the table. She pulled away, embarrassed, and pushed the plate toward him, "Just eat your breakfast." Harry took some PepperUp first, wincing when the unpleasant burn of it pushed down his throat and through his ears. Once he'd recovered, he slid into a seat beside her and tucked into his own plate eagerly, his ears still steaming, "How was your night here, again?"

"Fine. Malfoy's so quiet, you'd think he muted himself."

"Unlike Ron, who snores enough for five people," Ginny said, passing Harry the jug of orange juice. George joined them, the question in his eyes meaningful until Harry nodded.

"He's having a bath right now."

"Brilliant," He turned to Ginny, "Pass us the honey would you?"

Charlie walked in then, in mid-conversation with Bill and Mrs Weasley, his muscled arms animated as he spoke, " - was thinking maybe Rebel Gems? Or even something Muggle. Draco loves Christmas songs and the Wedding's Christmas time so it's not too bad an idea."

"It's really up to you, dear," Mrs Weasley said, smiling at Fleur when she joined them all for breakfast as well.

"Yeah I know mum. I just wanted your input."

"Well I think a Winter themed wedding is lovely, if you both love the season enough," She smiled, "We could make snow! I know a spell for that, somewhere."

"You sure Malfoy'll be okay with a Muggle song?" Ginny asked as Charlie took a seat opposite her.

"Not all Purebloods are prejudiced, Ginny. We're not."

"But the Malfoy's _are_."

"Draco and I work around a lot of Muggles in Romania. Whatever his parents thought didn't pass onto him, alright?" Ginny just scoffed, stirring her teaspoon around the mug, "Anyway. I was thinking, white clothes, white table-setting. White roses. And then a red cake, red for the best man - that's you Bill - and white and black for me Draco."

"He'll be so pale you won't be able to find him in the snow." Ginny muttered and Harry choked on his tea. Charlie opened his mouth to retort when a sudden scream echoed around the house from upstairs. Harry snapped his head toward George but he looked just as surprised. There was a thud above them and Charlie bolted to his feet, swearing.

The rest of them joined him, running up the stairs and they crowded outside the bathroom. Malfoy was bundled in Charlie's arms in a towel, his skin bright red and dotted with bumps. His eyes were shut.

"Merlin's beard." Mrs Weasley gasped.

"St Mungos. Now." Bill snapped, helping Charlie up. Charlie lifted Malfoy into his arms and they headed downstairs to the garden to apparate. A hush fell over them all as they left and Mrs Weasley looked into the tub. The water no longer looked like a beach and had turned a dark red instead. It looked like blood. She rounded on George, "Just _what_ was in that powder?!"

"I - " He gulped audibly, "It was just something that would colour his skin, I swear! I didn't - it wasn't supposed to _hurt_ him."

"He must've been allergic to it." Hermione murmured, her face pale, "He could go into shock." Mrs Weasley swelled with anger.

"I didn't know Mum! I would _never!"_ She gave him a cold look, "I didn't know. I swear on Fred's grave." That took the wind out of her and she turned away.

"Go to St Mungos," She told him, "Tell your brother _exactly_ what was in that powder. And you'd better hope he's understanding." George looked pale but he nodded, turning to head downstairs, "And the rest of you. Did you know about this?"

Ginny chewed on her lip, "We knew it was a prank. We didn't know what it would do, though."

Mrs Weasley nodded, "Right. I can't even begin to say how disappointed I am. Clean this all up, all four of you." She looked at Fleur, "Let's you and I head to St Mungos with the rest and see what we can do."

"O' course." Fleur let her pass, following her downstairs.

"Um. Mum?" Ron called cautiously, "Hermione didn't have anything to do with this."

"Then in that case, she doesn't have to help."

Hermione shook her head, "It's alright. I'll help anyway, it doesn't matter." Mrs Weasley smiled at her but it fell flat and she continued back downstairs, "This could be serious, Ron."

"Save it Hermione." Ginny muttered, "We know."

.


	2. Chapter 2

.

Charlie didn't come back with the others and Bill told them all that he was staying with Malfoy for the night.

George had told the Healers that he'd used the skin of a Poerd to make the powder and Charlie had apparently shouted for over an hour about it, only stopping when a Healer asked him to. Bill explained that Malfoy was allergic, as Hermione had said, and that his body had almost given up due to the fact that he'd completely immersed himself in the bath water. The mood was sombre that evening and became even more so when Mr Weasley came home from work and was told the whole story in full by both Mrs Weasley and Bill.

George sat with his head down, looking utterly ashamed of himself, and he didn't even argue when he was sent upstairs like a child.

"Guess we're even now," Ron murmured as they got into bed for the night, "Accidental-almost-murder." Harry snorted though nothing was particularly funny about the situation, "Charlie's gonna kill us."

"Yeah." Harry agreed.

"He really likes Malfoy, doesn't he."

"They are engaged."

"Yeah but - he really does like him," He sighed, rolling to face Harry, "Stranger things have happened, I guess."

"Like what?"

"Like when you first started dating my sister," Harry squirmed under the blankets, "Or us being the saviours of the wizarding world. Or us having the Order of Merlin at the youngest ever - "

"Yeah I - I get the point, Ron."

"I'm just saying," Ron yawned, "Stranger things have happened." Harry nodded sleepily, "Just wish he'd stop pretending he doesn't know us though. Makes you feel he's hiding more."

"Relationships don't do well when they're based on lies." Harry said philosophically.

"Exactly," The bed squeaked as Ron rolled again, "Goodnight mate."

"Night Ron."

The next morning was just as sombre. Mrs Weasley had gone to St Mungos so the rest of them went about making their own breakfast. Bill, Fleur and Hermione ate what Bill had cooked and then apparated to St Mungos as well, leaving Harry, George, Ron and Ginny looking lost at the table.

"Should we - ?" Ron asked, gesturing.

"I doubt Charlie wants to see me," George said and Ron grimaced.

"It was an accident, George," Ginny reassured him, "You didn't _know_ he was allergic."

"Yeah but I shouldn't have put it in there, in the first place." He stabbed at his toast with his forefinger, poking a hole in it and ripping it apart.

"It's done now," Harry said, angry at himself for letting this happen. Malfoy could have died last night because of a prank; it was a horrible thought, "And I'm sure Charlie would appreciate it more if we came instead of sitting around here like a guilty party."

"Like Harry said," Ginny agreed, "Let's eat and go." George just stabbed at his toast again.

The ward at St Mungos was almost identical to the one that Mr Weasley had once been in, and that brought back chilling memories of before the War. Harry glanced at the signs that led to the other wards, wondering if Lockhart was still here, or whether Neville would be visiting.

Mrs Weasley walked past them with Bill, Fleur and Hermione, shaking her head at them, "Charlie's asked to be alone. Say 'hello' and then come sit with us in the waiting room, alright?" Harry nodded when no one else said anything and then they rounded the corner toward the ward that they'd come from.

Charlie sat on a chair beside Malfoy, who was lying covered in a sheet on the bed. His skin was pinker now, the bumps little more than goosebumps and, when they neared, Harry could hear that his breathing was laboured.

"Hey Charlie," Ron said, his voice hoarse. Charlie looked up at them, saw their expressions, and gestured that they sit. They looked at each other and then, after a second, sat as one on the spare chairs around the bed and faced him over Malfoy's body, "Mum said you wanted to be alone."

"I want to talk to you all first." Harry shared a glance with Ron, feeling more than a little worried about what that meant. Charlie sighed, looking at Malfoy, "I first met Draco when I picked him up from the portkey stop in Romania," He said, sounding tired, as though he'd repeated this many times. Maybe he had, "He was angry, injured a little and I've never heard so many insults in my life. And that was just on the drive back to my house. But then, believe it or not, people get used to each other and people start to _like_ each other," Ron squirmed beside Harry, no doubt remembering how he and Hermione used to interact before their first kiss, and even after it, "We were friends first, and then I fell in love with him. Merlin, I've asked him to _marry_ me."

"We know this Charlie," Ginny muttered.

"Do you?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious, "Because it seems to me that you're hoping I'll change my mind. Like you've got some vendetta against him that you have to insult him at every turn, stir up memories of his father, _prank_ and almost kill him - "

"I didn't know he was allergic!" George protested.

"I know," Charlie's voice softened, "But that's not the point." He looked down at Malfoy again, "The Healers say that the reaction should die down in a few hours and that he should take this," He held up a clear vial," For the next two days just in case. When he wakes up in those few hours, I want you four to apologise to him, _sincerely,_ for everything you've said and done over these two days."

"What? But - " Ron gaped.

" _He's_ the one who sh - " Ginny shouted.

" _And!"_ He spoke over their protests, "I want you all to remember that we _will_ be getting married next tuesday and that Draco _will_ be a part of this family. You can't change that, so I suggest you get used to it."

They walked back to the waiting room in mostly silence when Charlie asked if they could leave afterward, and the mood was bitter, "Merlin he sounded just like Mum," Ginny said angrily, after a while, "Apologise? To Malfoy? What about the apologies that we're owed for all the years he gave us hell? What about the apologies to my parents when he insulted them?"

"Charlie's blind," Ron muttered, "He wasn't here when we were at school, he doesn't know what it was like."

"Then maybe we should tell him," Harry suggested, "I mean - he has a right to know exactly who he's marrying, right?"

"He won't listen. Did you hear him back there?" George rolled his eyes, imitating Charlie rather well, "You can't change that, so I suggest you get used to it! Dray-Dray and I are going to live happily ever after while he sponges off of me and I don't even notice! Rar-rar-rar!" They all laughed, forcing themselves to stop when they saw the waiting room in case Mrs Weasley got the wrong idea.

They were all dragged into some cleaning when they got home that afternoon, making everything tidy for Mrs Malfoy who was apparently coming to visit that evening, and George looked pale at the idea that Malfoy would tell her what had happened.

"I want everyone wearing purple at my funeral," He told them over dinner and he even flinched when Charlie, Bill and Malfoy apparated into the garden.

Malfoy looked pale himself when he stepped inside and the bumps had gone down drastically now, leaving his skin as smooth as it had always been. He was holding Charlie's hand and they sat down together at the table, waiting for Bill to follow them in afterward before they started to eat.

Charlie cleared his throat pointedly when they were packing the plates away and George set down his fork with a sigh, "Er. Malfoy?" Malfoy looked up at him, "I just wanted to say that - I'm sorry. I didn't know you were allergic, I wouldn't have done it if I knew."

"You should be sorry," Bill said, frowning, "You almost killed him."

"It's alright," Malfoy said, looking surprised at the apology but nothing else, "Besides," He glanced at Ron, "I've done worse." He then stood, taking his and Charlie's plate and going into the kitchen to put them in the sink. Harry blinked at Ron but then he noticed Charlie's smile and a burning anger bubbled up inside him. Malfoy was impressively good at keeping up this charade, saying that he'd done much worse and then leaving before anyone could ask him what that was.

"He wants to _play,_ " Ginny whispered to them as she pushed half a boiled potato into her mouth, scowling.

They continued cleaning after dinner and Malfoy spelled his cardigan to repel the dust before helping them too. He and Charlie chatted as they worked near Harry, Malfoy using _aguamenti_ and a cloth while Charlie mopped up after him.

"We should have Elenda as a bridesmaid as well," Malfoy was saying, dodging Charlie when he tried to hit him with the wet cloth, "What? What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing," Charlie laughed, "Just that your memory must be going."

Malfoy paused, "Have I already mentioned her?"

"Twice." Harry gagged at Charlie's smile, turning away, "You must really want her as one."

"Well she did save my life. And yours."

"Um, I've never been injured since we hired Elenda, that was only you."

"Well yeah. But what would you do without me?" Charlie kissed him and Harry decided that he wasn't really needed here. Unfortunately, as he left he passed by the door and was there when he heard a knock. Opening it, he was faced with a frowning Narcissa Malfoy and she looked just as surprised to see him as he was her.

"Um." He stared at her and she took a step to the side, fixing her coat and expression, "Mrs Malfoy."

"Mother!" Malfoy was suddenly behind him and Harry moved aside to let him pass. Mrs Malfoy hugged him tight, "I'm so happy you decided to come in the end!" He really sounded it too.

"Of course I came. You haven't been in England in so long, Draco, I had to see you."

Malfoy stepped back, smiling widely, "Come in, it's warmer here." Mrs Malfoy shed her coat as she stepped inside and Charlie appeared just in time to take it from her and levitate it to a hook, "Mother. I would like you to meet Charlie. Charlie, this is my mother." Mrs Malfoy smiled at least, but it was clearly forced, and that was when Harry thought it best to leave and warn everyone else that she was here.

Mrs Weasley grabbed a mirror and cleared away any dirt from her face before she went to greet Mrs Malfoy, thanking Harry for letting her know and telling him to call the others down to see her. Feeling no particular ill-will toward Mrs Malfoy himself, not after what she'd done during the War, he did as asked and left the others as they started to get dressed out of their 'cleaning' clothes and into something a little more appropriate. He merely spelled his own clothes clean, having looked far worse in front of Mrs Malfoy before anyway.

She was sitting on a sofa in the living space when he came back down, Malfoy beside her with Charlie beside him. Mrs Weasley was bringing in a tray of tea and biscuits and Harry quickly moved their small coffee table until it was within Mrs Malfoy's reach, "Thank you Harry, dear," Mrs Weasley said, placing the tray down and dusting her clothes off as she sat.

Mrs Malfoy seemed to be in a deep conversation with her son in what sounded like french and hadn't notice his arrival yet. Charlie caught his eye, looking as lost as he did which meant that he clearly didn't understand the language either. Harry recognised the words for 'marriage' in there somewhere, along with a few phrases that he'd picked up from Fleur on his visits to their cottage, but barely enough to hold their conversation.

Malfoy shifted back then, turning to face him with one of his hands between both his mothers, and Harry turned to see what had caught his attention. The others had come down now as well, finally, dressed in some clean and presentable clothes with the younger members of the family looking extremely displeased about it. Malfoy said something in french again, to Fleur this time, and she laughed and replied in kind.

"For the rest of the class?" Bill joked, raising an eyebrow, but Fleur just shook her head and took a seat beside Mrs Weasley on the opposite sofa. Mrs Malfoy reached over and picked a cup of tea to drink from. It was Mrs Weasley's best set of china and she inspected it not-so-subtly.

"Sugar?" Harry offered, and she glanced at him, startled.

"Oh. No thank you," Malfoy rolled his eyes and lifted the sugar pot, placing half a teaspoon into his mother's cup and stirring it for her, "I stand corrected."

"It won't kill you Mother," Malfoy said lightly, and she said something in french in return. Harry glanced at Fleur to see her reaction to whatever it was that had been said but she wasn't looking his way, "Mrs Weasley has a spell for her teabags and it detects how a person likes their tea; strong or weak and so on. Try it," He was grinning and Mrs Malfoy didn't seem to know what to do with that, "You'll be surprised, I promise."

Mrs Malfoy took a sip, hummed, and placed it down on the table, "What spell is that, then?"

"Weasley secret." Malfoy and Mrs Weasley said at the same time and he shrugged when she laughed, "I've asked too many times, she won't give it away."

"He's persistent," Mrs Weasley said to Mrs Malfoy, "Asks when I least suspect it."

"I believe that was how he learned the verifications to his father's vault, as well."

"I was _ten_ then, mother, it wasn't a tactic," Malfoy muttered, "Father just didn't think I'd remember it." Mrs Malfoy said something in french again and he glanced down. Charlie reached over and took his hand, something that he looked immensely grateful for.

"So." Mrs Weasley said so brightly that it had to be forced, "How are things at your manor ... Narcissa?" Ginny snorted under her breath making Harry jump. He hadn't even noticed her beside him.

"Cissy. If we're to be family, you may as well call me Cissy," Mrs Malfoy said, just as forcefully bright, "And where is your husband?"

"Oh - er - he's at work."

Mrs Malfoy tutted, "I wanted to ask him if it were possible to have the manor's security back."

"I thought things were fine at the manor," Malfoy said, frowning.

"They are. But if the Weasley's are becoming my in-laws, I'll have to have measures there to ensure that the house doesn't fill to capacity if they all decide to come visit." Her tone suggested she was joking but no one laughed.

"You don't need those measures, Mother," Malfoy said, before speaking french _again_ , with his voice hard and tense.

"Guess we'll need them too," Ron spoke over him, "Don't want too many DeathEater relatives swarming the Burrow."

"I doubt they'd fit." Mrs Malfoy snapped back, her eyes cool.

" _Cissy_ ," Mrs Weasley said with a fierce looking smile, before Ron could reply, "There's really no need - "

"Mother," Malfoy interrupted her, "Did we tell you that the wedding will be Winter themed? We're getting a cake from the same shop that did yours." Mrs Malfoy pressed her lips together at that, shutting her eyes for a moment, "Do you own anything white?"

"Why? Do you think I threw all my clothes away and wore only black after your father died?"

Malfoy glared at her, "That is not what I meant." Harry glanced at Ginny when a harsh silence grew between them all and her expression told him that she was eating this all up. He shook his head, giving her a nudge.

"Excuse me one moment," Mrs Malfoy suddenly said, standing up. She looked lost for a second before Malfoy pointed at the stairs wordlessly and she headed in that direction. George and Ron moved out of her way, both frowning, and they all heard the bathroom door shut a minute later.

Mrs Weasley stood and went up the stairs to follow her whilst everyone else sat in silence. When no one else moves, Fleur stood as well, walking around the coffee table to sit beside Malfoy and asking him something in french. Charlie kept a hold of Malfoy's hand as they spoke and as one, the rest of them took a seat as well and started their own conversations. Hermione and Ron joined Harry and Ginny on a three seater, Ginny perched on the edge, and they all glanced upstairs at the sound of footsteps but neither Mrs Weasley nor Mrs Malfoy emerged.

"You don't think I should check on mum, do you?" Ron asked, sounding worried.

"I think your mother knows what to do better in this situation," Hermione said, "Mrs Malfoy lost her husband two years ago. He may have been an awful person to all of us but he _was_ her husband." Harry looked at Malfoy from where he was, seeing him interact with Fleur so naturally, and even with Bill when he joined them. They really did seem to like him and he hated how that made him feel.

"That doesn't excuse what she said about my family," Ginny said, bitterly.

"Oh because we never scorned their family when we lost people we cared about," Hermione countered.

"That's different. Their family actually _helped_ cause those losses. Lucius Malfoy died in prison, accounting for his crimes." Harry had to admit that she had a point, and yet something kept him from openly saying it, "He deserved it."

"No one deserves death Ginny," Hermione sighed.

"What, not even Voldemort?" Hermione gave her a look, "Thought so."

"Look, whatever we all think, there's one thing we do know," Ron spoke up.

Hermione placed her head on his shoulder, "And what's that?"

"That Malfoy's mum wants him to marry Charlie about as much as _we_ do."

.

* * *

.

Dinner was a very tense affair. Mrs Malfoy sat opposite her son and besides Mr Weasley, who looked very uncomfortable with the seating arrangements but the table wasn't really made for entertaining this many people. Bill had transfigured two coffee tables into extra pieces of the larger table and had set them up to make room for all the food and Malfoy had helped place each course over it.

"This is delicious, Mum," George exclaimed, sound surprised as he tucked in, "I mean _really_."

"Thank you," Bill answered from where he was sitting, "She's taught me everything she knows." George turned to stare at him, "Don't look so shocked, it's insulting."

"Mum?" George asked warily and she laughed.

"It's true, George. Almost everything here was made by Bill and I," She smiled, "Though mostly Bill."

"Does cooking run in the family, then?" Mrs Malfoy asked, sipping some wine.

"No," Malfoy scoffed, looking at Charlie, "A love for all food does, though." Charlie stole one of his prawns in retaliation to that, "See." They all laughed and Harry cringed when Ginny made hers mocking and extra loud, hiding his smile behind a forkful of salad.

"You're welcome to come and visit us in Romania, Mrs Malfoy," Charlie said, putting an arm around Malfoy's shoulders now that he'd finished eating, "We have plenty of room in the house and we've even redecorated it."

"I - " Mrs Malfoy looked at her son and he smiled at her meaningfully, "I'll see." Mrs Weasley vanished the empty trays once they were all done, having conjured them just to hold the food, and sent all the plates into the kitchen sink for washing while the rest of them all settled back into the living space.

Malfoy pulled his mother down beside him when it looked like she wanted to leave and he sat squished between herself and Charlie on the same sofa that George had once lain on, his ear bleeding out over the fabric. It had been cleaned since but still, the memory brought back all those ugly feelings of the War and Harry suddenly couldn't wait to leave the room. He vaguely heard Malfoy say that he'd been to see his _'Aunt Andromeda'_ and that only made those feelings worse. Andromeda had lost her daughter and her recent son-in-law to that War, and Teddy had lost his both his parents.

He was four now, almost old enough to understand what it meant to be an orphan, and though neither of the Malfoys sitting before him had anything to do with Tonks and Lupin's death, he left the room angrily anyway. If Malfoy had gone to see Andromeda then he'd probably seen Teddy too, and it was then that Harry remembered how Teddy was Malfoy's cousin. How he was related to Andromeda and Tonks by blood.

"Hey," Hermione followed him out and they both wordlessly headed into the garden, sitting on the chairs outside and looking up at the sky, "Are you alright?" He shrugged, "I miss them all too." Like always, Hermione seemed to know exactly what was wrong, "But you know Malfoy's entitled to see his family."

"He's never acknowledged them as his family before," He reminded her, remembering the family tree in Grimmauld place and how Andromeda's line had been blasted off of it. Disowned.

"Well he wants to now. That's got to count for something."

"Does it?" She took his arm, linking it with hers, and they leant back over the chairs, "He shouldn't be allowed to move on," It sounded petty as soon as he said it but he didn't take it back.

"Yes he should," Hermione said, softly, "The War wasn't easy on any of us, least of all you, but you were still always the first to defend Malfoy's actions. You reminded everyone that he didn't identify you when he could have, that he tried to stop Crabbe from killing you, that it was his mother that helped you win," She paused, lowering her voice, "That he couldn't kill Dumbledore when it came down to it."

Harry sighed, "I know."

"So what's changed?" She looked at him, "You wanted everyone to move on and live their lives after the War. Did that not include Malfoy?" She had a point and it dug into him like a knife.

"I guess, I - " He started, his voice strained, "I guess what I really want is an apology, at least. An acknowledgement that he knows he was wrong once but that he _wants_ to move on now. That he's changed," He could feel himself growing angry again, "He can't just pretend that none of that ever happened!"

"That's what Ron said," Hermione told him, "And do you know what I said to him then?"

"To get over it?" Harry asked, dully.

"No!" She sounded so offended that he winced, "I told him to _ask_ Malfoy to apologise to him, if that was what he wanted. Instead of pranking and making stupid comments under his breath, to get what he wanted, and move on himself as well," She nudged Harry, "You do the same if it bothers you so much. If Malfoy wants this to work, he'll apologise." She made it sound so simple but really, she was also right. As usual. He nodded, running a hand through his hair, "Good. Now come on then, it's cold, let's go back inside."

Ron handed them both a mug of hot chocolate when they stepped through the door and told them that Malfoy had taken his mother, Charlie, and Mrs Weasley to visit Andromeda and Teddy before Mrs Malfoy went back to the manor for the night. Ginny had apparently already gone to bed, saying that they all had a long day tomorrow and that she needed her energy to deal with Malfoy.

"Why, what are we doing tomorrow?" Harry asked, frowning.

"Shopping," Ron muttered at the same time as Hermione said, "Getting our measurements for the Wedding clothes."

"Is everything still going to be in white?"

"I've no idea," Hermione said, tangling a finger in her hair before yanking it out, "I suppose so, they want it Winter-themed don't they?"

"Ruining Christmas memories forever," Ron said, woefully, "We should head to bed too, then, I doubt mum'll be back until late anyway." Hermione wished them both a good night sleep and went to get changed into her pajamas while Harry finished his hot chocolate and Ron waited.

"Hermione says we should ask Malfoy to apologise to us," He said, putting the mug away and Ron nodded, "The Wedding's next tuesday, so we haven't got long. I'll ask him tomorrow."

"Yeah, okay. Let me know what he does," Was all Ron said to that and then they both headed up for bed as well.

Harry woke feeling much the same as he had the last morning, his nose running as he got dressed. He didn't bother brushing his hair for breakfast and when he came back upstairs, he realised that it was past 10am and that Malfoy was still asleep. They must have come back late last night if he was this tired but didn't they have measuring to do? Debating about it with himself for a while, he finally decided that an awake-on-time Malfoy would be easier to deal with than one who was angry at being late.

He crouched and reached out to shake Malfoy's shoulder before he could second-guess himself anymore, and murmured, "Malfoy. Malfoy ... ?" Malfoy moaned, batting his hand away in his sleep. Harry shook him harder, "Malfoy!"

With a jerk, Malfoy opened one eye and gave him a half-glare, " _What?"_

"Just thought you'd like to wake up, your highness," Harry snapped at him.

Malfoy frowned, opening both eyes now and rubbing them, "Why? What time is it?"

"10am."

"What, really?" Harry nodded slowly and Malfoy bolted himself upright, "Oh Merlin, we're late!" He scrambled out of the blankets, pushing Harry out of the way and running down the stairs, presumably towards Charlie.

"You're welcome." Harry mumbled to himself, rubbing his shoulder, and moving to wake Ron as well.

They apparated to Diagon Alley once everyone had gotten ready and Harry subconsciously chewed on some peppermint when he hadn't had time to brush his teeth. Malfoy led them all into the farthest end, past even the Quidditch stores, and into a tailor's that Harry had never been to nor even heard of. They filed in like mice following a blond piper and Malfoy told the man at the door his name while they waited.

He was hopping slightly, shifting one foot to the other, and Charlie took his hat off for him, "We're not that late, stop worrying."

"I can't. He's not exactly ... _nice_ ," Malfoy told him, "If we're even a minute late, he won't let you forget it."

"Figures," Ginny muttered, "Is he a family friend?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Malfoy answered pointedly, "He is."

"Oh good," Ginny met his gaze evenly, "We can ask what you were like as a child. I'm sure Charlie'd love to hear about those - _lovely_ memories." Malfoy narrowed his eyes at her but they were interrupted by the owner of the store.

"Draco?" He was an elderly man, wrinkled in a way that seemed to suit him with the darkest eyes that Harry had ever seen. Malfoy turned to him, actually looking worried, "You're late."

"Not really," Malfoy said lightly, "When you calculate the amount of people that had to get ready to come and get here, we're practically early." There was a sudden grating noise that Harry realised was the owner laughing; whether he was actually amused or not was harder to tell, "Shall we come inside?"

"We're not inside already?" Ron asked, looking around dubiously at the store. The owner just nodded with more of those grating sounds, gesturing that they follow him. Charlie and Malfoy stepped through the door that they had come in from before, and when the others could no longer see them through the glass, they all followed them through.

The room they entered was obviously concealed and locked by the owner, and it was wonderfully warm compared to the outside's winter weather. Harry shed his coat when he noticed the others doing the same and the man that had taken Malfoy's name took their coats and jackets away with him back through the door, leaving them alone with the owner.

"You said a Winter wedding?" He was saying, "White for everything I suppose?"

"Yes," Malfoy said, "But a dark red for - " He turned and pointed at Bill, "For him." The owner squinted at Bill, looking him over from head-to-toe, "And I think Miss Granger," He pointed her out too and she looked startled, "Should have the same design that I discussed with you before, for Elenda."

"Should I be concerned?" Hermione asked, certainly looking it.

"No," Charlie smiled at her reassuringly, "Trust me on that. We want the clothes to be a surprise but they won't be a bad one."

"And Bastien, we - Bastien?" The owner blinked out of whatever he had been thinking and turned toward Malfoy again, "We don't want the Victorian satin."

"Victorian Satin?" Ron mouthed at Harry, making a face.

"As you wish, Draco," Bastien said, gesturing that Mrs Weasley come and stand on one of the platforms within the room. There were mirrors surrounding three other platforms and rows of clothes on each side that were shining with some sort of protective layering. It looked like an older, far more sophisticated version of Madame Malkins.

"I hate this," Harry muttered to Ron, "I feel like we'll be made to look like clowns."

"Charlie won't let that happen," Ron assured him, but then he faltered, "But don't jinx it. Just in case."

Half the day was spent in that room, with each of them standing on a platform for Bastien to measure them and make notes. Malfoy had been told that he and Charlie would be going last and they had taken up the seats near the exit, talking together and laughing. Harry had just finished his own session on the platform when he saw Malfoy go into one of the bathrooms and he followed him in on instinct.

He'd said that he would try to ask Malfoy for an apology today, anyway, and the bathroom was as private as he would get for now. Malfoy was facing a mirror when he entered and when he looked up and saw Harry in it's reflection, he rolled his eyes. The whole scene stirred some deja vu within him, and he cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Haven't you had enough of stalking me, Potter?" Malfoy sneered, conjuring a silver comb and using it to brush his hair back.

"I never _stalked_ you," Harry retorted angrily, before catching himself. He wasn't here to argue but Malfoy always seemed to revert him back into an 11-year-old, even now.

"Oh really?" Malfoy turned back to the mirror, "Then leave."

"No." Harry walked to the sink beside Malfoy, "I need to wash my hands." Malfoy just continued combing his hair, ignoring him so pointedly that it took a clear effort to keep it up, "And to talk."

Malfoy sighed, "Look, Potter, I really don't - "

"Save the argument baiting for just a second, okay," Harry interrupted and Malfoy faced him again, slamming the comb down over the basin, "I just want to say that I get it, alright? You want us to give you a break. To play along." Malfoy curled his lip, "But the trouble is that, right now, you don't deserve that."

"Fascinating."

"Look, all we want from you is for you to acknowledge what a git you were when we were kids and for you to apologise. That's all." Malfoy raised an eyebrow at him, "You should have done that from the start, you know, if you really wanted us to try and get along."

"Who ever said that that's what I wanted?"

" _I_ do, if you don't want arguments everyday."

Malfoy smirked, "I guess you've forgotten that Charlie and I live in Romania, Potter. I don't have to get along with anyone if it means we're not coming back."

"You can't do that," Harry protested, "Charlie's got a right to see his family."

"You really are an utter moron, aren't you," Malfoy spun around to leave, "Don't talk to me again Potter. Not even at the wedding."

Red hot rage suddenly filled Harry's mind and he blocked Malfoy's way out with his arm, "Just _apologise_ Malfoy. It's really not that hard."

"Fine," Malfoy said lightly, "Sorry."

"Is that it?" The rage burned inside him and Harry felt his hands curling into fists as he stood there.

"Get out of the way Potter, I did as you asked."

"No you didn't, that doesn't count as a real apology."

"Who says?"

" _I_ do." Harry grit his teeth, hating again how childish he was sounding, "If you can't apologise reasonably then I guess we can't behave reasonably at your Wedding."

"Oh," Malfoy scoffed, "You do _anything_ at this Wedding and I guarantee you that Charlie will never come back to see his family again or even _write_ ," He crowded into Harry's space, still that one inch taller than him, "And I doubt Mrs Weasley will take that well." And with that, he pushed his way past and left the bathroom. Harry stood there for a minute longer in shock, his rage burning solid into something cold and numb as he took in those words.

His hand found the silver comb that Malfoy had left behind and it was snapped in his hands before he even realised what he'd done.

"He _said_ that?" Ron demanded to know, his face just as red as his anger. Ginny looked much the same and George was twirling his wand in his hand, looking murderous, "After what Percy did to us before, Mum would be dev - "

"It's not going to happen, Ron," Ginny snapped, "No way is he keeping Charlie away from us like that. We rarely see him as it is and if he makes him _hate_ us, he'll find my wand shoved up his - " She censored herself, glaring fiercely.

After Bastien had sent them home with eleven boxes of clothes, already fully stitched and ready to wear, Malfoy and Charlie had taken them home and actually hidden them away so no one could take a peek at what they'd be put in. They'd then gone to visit a Ms Goodfellow, who was apparently being paid by Mrs Malfoy to decorate and plan the seatings at the reception and Wedding. The reception would be tomorrow evening and she went through her plans with Malfoy and Charlie while everyone else had left to shop for something actually wear for the reception as it wasn't being tailor-made as well.

Harry had decided to wear his robes from the Yule Ball as they still fit, and had used his time to help Ron find something better than _his_ Yule Ball robes instead. Hermione and Ginny had chosen theirs moderately quickly and the whole group had eventually gone home; exhausted but also buzzing slightly from the day out.

Ms Goodfellow had had an idea of showing their memories at the reception, to show their family and friends how much Charlie and Malfoy cared for each other as most of their time together had been in another country. Hermione had latched onto that idea, claiming that she knew a spell that could illuminate a pensive for everyone to see, reminding Harry of a cinema screen but Charlie had loved the idea and they'd started work on it.

They'd also received a letter from Percy that had congratulated Charlie and his 'fiance' and had said that he was sorry he couldn't attend the Wedding as he was still away on Ministry business in Austria. Considering what a life he was at parties, no one but Mrs Weasley had seemed particularly disappointed to hear that, and the letter had been set aside for more of the pensive-planning.

Afterward, Charlie and Malfoy had started reading their replies to the Wedding invites, creating a pile of those who could come and those who couldn't. Harry had seen Pansy Parkinson in the pile of 'cannot attend' and couldn't help but feel glad about that, heading upstairs to tell George, Ginny and Ron what had happened in the bathroom before they all went to bed.

"How can we stop it, Ginny?" Ron demanded, "Charlie won't listen to us when we try to tell him what Malfoy's really like, you've heard him. Malfoy could try and say all sorts of lies and, with how we've been acting, I wouldn't blame him if he believes them."

"We can't let Charlie marry someone like this," Ginny insisted, "We can't. He's our older brother, we have to help him."

Harry almost took her hand but he had a feeling that she wouldn't appreciate that right now, so he turned to George instead, "Any ideas?"

"Considering that my last almost killed him, no."

"Wait a second," Ron held a hand up, a strange sort of realisation dawning over his face, "Aren't they using a pensive?" They caught on immediately but shook their heads.

"Yeah, but we can't control what memories they show, Ron," Harry told him, "It's up to them what they take out themselves."

"Yeah but it's up to us too," Ron was beaming, "Why didn't we think of this before? We can _show_ Charlie our memories of Malfoy."

Ginny sat up straighter, "Merlin, we're idiots. We should have done that before, dad's got a pensive."

"We can still do it now," Ron frowned.

"No, we can't. Charlie won't stay long enough to look if he realises what it is," She tugged at her hair, "Good idea though."

"Thanks." Ron said, dully, slumping back.

"Yes we can," George suddenly said, slowly, "We can still show him. We can show everyone who's forgotten; Bill, Fleur, Mum and Dad," He looked excited at the idea, "They're projecting a pensive's image aren't they? Tomorrow at the reception?"

"Hermione's doing it." Harry said, realising where he was going with this.

"Then how about we add a few memories of our own to that little show?" He grinned at Ron, "Show our memories that way?"

Ginny raised an eyebrow, "Except we've no idea how to take our memories out by ourselves. And I don't see us going to ask dad to do it either."

Harry looked at her, his own memories of using a pensive digging up painful ones and he swallowed. He had plenty of memories of Malfoy, some unpleasant but some that also showed Malfoy's fear and reluctance to fully join Voldemort's side. The reminder of how Malfoy's failure to identify him had saved his life stirred some guilt within him but it was quickly shoved aside when he then remembered what Malfoy had said to him in the bathroom.

"I know how to do it," He found himself saying, "I've seen it done, I remember what to do."

.

* * *

.

The reception was held at the Malfoy Manor, unsurprisingly, in an overlarge tent with their garden. Hermione had gone there early to help set the pensive up with Charlie and Ginny had gone to help them, a vial of very different memories in her back pocket that she'd kept hidden from them.

The service started at around seven and when Harry apparated there with Ron at six, he wasn't surprised to find it mostly empty. Malfoy was in a cream set of robes, his hair the only thing that seemed to be calm as he flitted around talking to Ms Goodfellow, his mother, and Charlie. It was making Harry dizzy to watch him and he focused on that more than his guilt when he also saw how happy Malfoy seemed today as well, past all the panic.

By the time six-thirty came around, Malfoy had left to get changed properly, and some of the guests started filling in. Charlie hugged a tall, asian woman that ran toward him in a small, yellow dress and introduced her to the rest of them as Elenda, their healer. She spoke at a mile a minute, ecstatic to be here and so honoured to be a bridesmaid as well. She flirted with Ginny at first before realising that she was already dating Harry, and her cheeks had darkened before she'd composed herself again.

She'd gone to Hogwarts once as well, apparently, and had been a Ravenclaw but that was 'such a long time ago that she didn't care about distinctions anymore'. Malfoy came out then in another set of cream robes, though this time they were much longer and seemed to shimmer. He hugged Elenda as well, directed her to her seat, and when the last guest eventually arrived, the function officially started.

Aunt Muriel had been seated near Andromeda and Teddy and it seemed that the only thing that she was happy about was that Charlie was marrying a pureblood and that Teddy liked her clothes. Harry smiled down at his godson when he came to their table, proud of his ability to already win over everyone's hearts. Andromeda had then asked if he could hold him for a while while she went to speak to Mrs Malfoy and he obliged, sitting in her seat at the table and searching for the pensive. It was set right in the middle, while all the tables for the guests surrounded it, giving them all an equal view.

Teddy played with his bowtie, his hair turning pink from the lime green that it had been before, and the pang of loss that that brought up led Harry to hug him closer.

"I miss her too," He murmured to the toddler, conjuring a ribbon for Teddy to play with afterward just in case he managed to undo the bowtie with his fiddling.

"Merlin, what has Charles done to his hair?!" Aunt Muriel suddenly exclaimed, "If there's one thing that that Malfoy boy could do right, it's to cut that disastrous thing off. It's not even a tail, it's barely a pony's _stump!"_ Harry smiled politely, focusing more on Teddy and Andromeda returned to take Teddy away just as Aunt Muriel was starting to drill into Hermione's dress and Elenda's personality.

Harry gratefully left to head back to his own designated seat and Ron gave him a sympathetic look, "At least she knows that you really are my friend now." Harry grimaced, "No more cousin Barny."

"I think I preferred it that way."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, and all other identities and species," Ms Goodfellow took the floor, smiling, "Thank you so much for attending this beautiful function, for this _lovely_ couple," She gestured to Malfoy and Charlie who were seated on a long table, right at the centre, facing everyone. Mrs and Mr Weasley sat on Charlie's side while Mrs Malfoy and Andromeda sat on Malfoy's; Teddy was bouncing in Andromeda's lap and she met Harry's gaze when he frowned over at her and mouthed, 'he asked me to sit here' with a shrug, "To begin, as we started so late and I'm sure you're all so hungry, we will serve tonight's banquet. There will then be a short reprieve for either dancing here," She spun in a circle over the floor, her maroon dress rippling, "Or to mingle. We will then have the _toasts_."

There was a short laugh from Charlie who was looking over at Bill with an eyebrow raised and Harry assumed that something must have been gestured or said because Ms Goodfellow joined in with his laughter, "Yes, I've been told that the best man's toast is to go first," She announced, smiling. Her teeth were perfectly straight and white, and they contrasted with her lipstick in a dazzling effect, "And then afterward will be the gift giving and a special illumination to show the couple's memories together, created by a Miss Granger," Hermione smiled when people turned to look at her, looking extremely pleased with herself, "So now," Ms Goodfellow spread her arms, "Enjoy!"

The food appeared on the tables much like Hogwart's dinners had used to appear and Harry grinned at Ron when that dredged up some nostalgia. There was a little bit of everything here to ear and yet they could all still hear Aunt Muriel complaining from her table.

"Only good thing about Weddings," Ron told Harry with a chicken drumstick in hand, "The food is always great."

"She was very organised, wasn't she," Ginny commented, shifting in her chair to grab the last of the cooked salmon before the plate was refilled, "Ms Goodfellow."

"Too organised, really," Harry said, "Bill and Fleur's wedding didn't have all this going."

"Yeah theirs was boring," Ron said, "I like this. One good thing Malfoy's done."

"Technically Ms Goodfellow did it."

"Malfoy planned it mostly, actually," Hermione added, "Ms Goodfellow wouldn't stop praising him while we set the pensive off. Says he should be a Wedding planner instead of working with dragons."

Ron snorted, "I think he'd turn more people off getting married than anything."

"That's what he said," Hermione told him, lightly, spooning some gravy over her plate. Her purple, high collar dress seemed to match the table design, but with the mood of the table Harry chose not to mention it.

"Really?"

"Mm." Ron glanced at Harry but neither of them could find anything much to say about that and their table became very quiet. At least until Hermione looked up again and gasped, "Is that - Zabini? Blaise Zabini. From Hogwarts?"

They all followed her gaze and saw Zabini sitting on a table with Elenda and a few others that Harry didn't recognise, "Yeah. Yeah, it is." He was eating and talking to Elenda, quite civilly, though his back was ramrod straight and his face seemed far too tight. He was obviously not happy to be here but he had still attended despite that, which spoke more words than Pansy's absence did, "Blimey, what does he do now? He's huge." Hermione choked on her wine, "What? He is!" Harry laughed, tucking into his own plate of food properly now and their conversation finally picked up again.

Ginny looked radiant beside Harry and he spent most of this time focusing on her and placing bets on how long it would take for Aunt Muriel to realise that she was on a table alone now and that no one cared about her ranting. She was in a red, fully-sleeved dress that accented her red hair in a perfect noir fashion, and her hair itself was curled and pooled to one side. It was the first time in his life that he'd thought of her as something more than his girlfriend and entertained the idea of marrying her. It might have been the romantic atmosphere that Ms Goodfellow had painted the tent in but he rather liked the idea.

Once their dinner had been taken away and their desserts eaten, Ms Goodfellow announced that they had time for dancing and mingling now, and Harry immediately asked Ginny to join him on the floor. Ron did the same to Hermione and she rolled her eyes, taking his hand and following him out, just as something slow started.

"What is this?" He asked Ginny, pulling her closer.

"Giselle," She answered but as he still had no idea who that was, he just nodded and continued to listen to the song, "Ew. Look at them." He frowned, turning to the table because it could only be Malfoy and Charlie that she was talking about. Malfoy was holding Teddy and Charlie was trying to entertain him with some sort of pantomime while Teddy looked about with disinterest and babbled to Malfoy instead, "Poor Teddy."

"Teddy's fine," Harry assured her, but something squirmed in his stomach at that image as well, especially when he recalled what Malfoy had said about taking Charlie away and poisoning his mind. Teddy was his cousin, would he do the same? "Wanna go get him in case?"

"Nah. My mum would kill me," Ginny sighed, resting her head against Harry's chest, and after a while she groaned and pulled her wand out from her purse, charming her heels quickly before continuing with the dance, "Poor muggles," She sympathised and he glanced down at her feet with a wince, "No charms to help."

"Maybe they're used to it," He suggested, spinning them around. He caught George's eye and gestured that he ask Angela to dance but before he could George finishing chewing whatever he'd been eating and promptly turned into a pigeon. His table burst into laughter and Bill reached over to clasp Angela's shoulder, helping her dodge the spoon thrown at her when George turned back to normal.

Ginny laughed when she noticed, "Well. I think George beats me in terms of who can annoy mum the most."

The dancing eventually died down and by nine o'clock Ms Goodfellow announced that it was time for the toasts and called Bill to stand. He cleared his throat and held his wand toward it to charm his voice louder, first congratulating his 'little brother' and Malfoy and using the time to comment on all the times that he'd spent with Charlie as children and how he'd never thought he'd see him married. He then mentioned Fleur and their life and how he hoped that Charlie and Malfoy would be as happy together as they were.

Fleur had smiled and kissed him when he'd sat and Mr Weasley had done much the same, speaking about Charlie and how he'd gotten to know Malfoy these past few weeks and how he was _glad_ have him join the family. Ginny excused herself to the bathroom, saying that she couldn't 'listen to this', but neither Malfoy nor Charlie noticed her walking out. They both stared at Mr Weasley throughout his speech, despite his stammering and awkward laughing that the rest of them joined in on.

It was then that Harry noticed how many of the guests were from the Weasley's family and that Malfoy's only real guests were his mother and Zabini; neither of whom looking willing to make a toast, though Mrs Malfoy did tell her son that she was 'so proud of him' for them all to hear. She'd sounded it too and Malfoy had smiled brightly at her.

Elenda shot a hand up when asked if anyone else would like to speak and she actually went up to the table with a box in hand, "I know we're supposed to do this afterwards, I know, and I'm sorry, but I just couldn't wait and I really wanted to say congratulations again. I've known you guys for three years now and they've been up-and-down and sometimes pretty downright _painful_ too, I've got scars," She paused for breath, turning to the guests to add, "We work with dragons," There was a murmur of understanding, "But I loved watching you two together, you just mix, and it's so awesome seeing this day finally happen. I mean, it's scary probably, I've seen Charlie laugh at a dragon trying to kill him but he was terrified when he wanted to propose to you Draco, and yeah you can be scary," Malfoy raised an eyebrow and the guests laughed, "But I think it was more about the commitment too. But here you are!" She placed the box down before them both, "I'm so proud of you!"

With that, she headed back to her seat and Malfoy skimmed a hand over the box, glancing at Charlie before opening it. A small burst of smoke erupted from it before a tiny dragon flew out of it and flapped it's wings above the table. Charlie jerked in surprise, reaching out to touch it but as soon as his skin brushed the dragon's wings it froze solid and fell. Malfoy caught it and it unfroze again.

"It's Gregoir!" Elenda called from her seat, "Mini-version him. I thought, seeing as it's thanks to him that you guys actually started dating that - well." Her cheeks darkened again in embarrassment but Charlie saved her.

"It's wonderful, thank you so much Elenda," He said and Malfoy smiled in agreement, placing the miniature dragon gently down and tapping it's head to freeze it again.

Ginny returned then, warily looking around at all the hush, and she took her seat with a frown, "What did I miss?"

"Charlie's healer speaking too fast for anyone to hear and a tiny dragon figure." Ron told her.

She blinked, turning to Harry, "It's true."

"Okay then," She shrugged, scooting her chair in under the table.

Ms Goodfellow called for attention yet again, walking out into the centre with her arms outstretched, "Thank you for those delightful toasts to the couple," She cooed, before pushing the pensive closer to the centre, "And what a _wonderful_ way to cue the memories that we will see. You know, they were chosen by the grooms themselves - "

"Who is she _addressing_ exactly?" Hermione asked, looking so put off that Harry had to stifle a chuckle.

" - which makes them very special," Placing a hand on the pensive, she touched the water and left it at that. Hermione did the rest from under the table, her wand unsubtly doing ... something, until the water shimmered just as a pensive usually would before pulling you within. This time, however, the memories were illuminated for them all to see.

 _The first memory showed Malfoy sitting at a kitchen table, his arms folded and his expression sour._ (Malfoy gave Charlie a look when he saw it; evidently they had not collaborated over which ones to show.) _Memory-Malfoy rolled his eyes at the explanations that Memory-Charlie was giving him and eventually stood to place his glass of water in the sink._

 _"When can I get my wand back?" He asked angrily._

 _"When you can be civil," Memory-Charlie answered with a sigh, "If you're going to be staying here Draco - "_

 _"Do_ not _call me Draco."_

 _"Then what should I call you?"_

 _"Why don't we just not talk at all?"_

The memory changed and they saw Memory-Charlie following Memory-Malfoy into the kitchen, _"How many times do I need to apologise before you talk to me again? Norberta whined once and you're best friends already," He was practically whining himself but was still ignored and eventually, he just scoffed, "At least give me a number, I mean - " Memory-Malfoy held up a finger in answer_ and while the guests laughed Mrs Malfoy pursed her lips at her son and he winced.

 _Another memory and Memory-Charlie was teaching Memory-Draco the stance to take when handing a dragon meat. They were standing very close and when they were distracted by each other the dragon lunged and they both had to skid back quickly, falling into the mud and laughing despite the danger of the situation._

It changed again and they were shown _Memory-Malfoy flying on a broom over what looked like a much larger Horntail than the one that Harry had once fought. He looked down, saw Memory-Charlie waving at him and smiled before realising that he likely saw it and promptly turning his broom away. Another memory and Memory-Malfoy was telling Memory-Charlie how much he hated him before showing him how to make an omelet, and then they were lying breathless in a field, covered in what looked like feathers, and Memory-Charlie was leaning in for a kiss._

The Malfoy watching turned to glare at him, "Were you thinking 'mortifying' when you chose these?" He demanded, turning back to the pensive with a disbelieving smile. The memory of them shimmered then, however, and Hermione frowned beside Ron in confusion, shifting in her seat. Harry clenched his fists over the table, watching it ripple into something much older.

The memories turned darker, the lighting dim, and they were all shown the Hogwarts train; within a single compartment. He heard Malfoy suck in a sharp breath from somewhere to his left but he focused on the pensive's image.

 _Memory-Harry was on the floor, paralysed, and above him Memory-Malfoy stamped on his face, "That's for my father!"_ The guests stirred, watching, and the memory changed to a Quidditch pitch. _Memory-Malfoy was insulting the Weasley's and Harry's parents before being ambushed by both Harry and George, whilst Fred was held back by the team. Another memory and Memory-Malfoy was watching Umbridge interrogate Harry and the others in her office at Hogwarts, sneering at their predicament._

Malfoy's lips parted as he watched and he snapped his head toward Harry's table, staring at them in shock; his eyes impossibly wide. Charlie also openly stared, his grin slowly fading as he realised what it was that he was watching.

"No," Malfoy mouthed, turning back to the pensive with dread. More memories were shown in a scatter of their different years, of him as a ferret, of him calling Hermione a mudblood, mocking Ginny in her first year at Hogwarts, singing 'Weasley is Our King', throwing live bugs at a terrified Ron in potions, planning to watch BuckBeak's execution.

Standing on the Astronomy tower and showing his darkmark to Dumbledore ...

Charlie's chair scraped back as he stood and he marched to the pensive, jamming his wand forward until it stopped the illumination and the memories began their simple flow around the water again.

Harry felt his throat constrict as he took in the utter silence of the tent and something churned in his stomach. He forced himself not to think that it was guilt. Hermione was bright red beside them, with either anger or shock, possibly putting two-and-two together and realising just what had happened. Ms Goodfellow stood, clearing her throat, "Well - "

" _Charlie,_ " Malfoy interrupted, his voice shuddering, and with a greater surge of guilt, Harry saw that he was crying, "I didn't - "

"Is this true?" Charlie demanded, as though there were no one but himself and Malfoy in the tent, "Is this - ?" He couldn't seem to finish the sentence and ran a hand through his hair, messing the ponytail up. Surprisingly, Aunt Muriel didn't say a word about it, "Draco." His voice was hard and Mrs Weasley stood as well then.

"Charlie it was all such a lon - "

"Yes," Malfoy bit out, his face wet, "It's true." Charlie nodded slowly, looking down at his shoes, before abruptly turning and walking out. Malfoy stumbled out of his chair, almost tripping in his hurry to follow him, "Charlie! Charlie _wait!"_ They both disappeared outside the tent and they could hear Malfoy calling him until there was a _crack!_ of apparation. The whole thing was a jarring replica of the time that Ron had left them four years ago, when the Horcrux had poisoned his mind, and Harry felt a little sick at that comparison.

Hermione slowly turned to face them, her face now white, "What were you thinking?" She whispered, before standing and heading over to Bill's table. There was really no reason for that, there was nothing she could do, but it was clear that she wanted nothing to do with them right now.

"Well," Ginny said, her voice hoarse, "That worked." It felt like an empty victory.

.

* * *

.

The Burrow was completely silent when they all returned and the family swayed on their feet, unsure of what they should do or say, before Mrs Malfoy suddenly appeared at the door and demanded to be let in. She wasted no time and shouted at Mrs Weasley, blaming her for the pensive and for what had happened, for ruining her son's reception and possibly the Wedding. And though Mrs Weasley was just as angry herself, she defended Harry and her children as though she agreed. She pointed out so angrily that Malfoy's actions had been true and that nothing had been lied about but they'd still kept going for almost an hour until Mrs Malfoy had eventually sunk into the sofa and put her head in her hands.

"He hasn't returned, I've no idea where he is, I've never seen him so upset," She moaned, her hair coming undone and falling over her shoulders.

"Charlie's not come back either," Mrs Weasley said, sitting beside her as though they hadn't just been screaming at each other a second before, "They'll be alright."

"It's dark," Mrs Malfoy said softly, "And he won't be thinking clearly."

"They'll be alright," Mrs Weasley repeated firmly, pressing her lips together, "You're welcome to stay, Cissy, Arthur and I'll sleep down here for the night. Come on." She led Mrs Malfoy up the stairs, glaring at Ron, Ginny, Harry and George as she went past with a look that clearly meant she'd talk to them later. And once she'd seen to Mrs Malfoy, she did just that.

"Do you four have any idea what you've done? You're supposed to be adults, when will you grow up?!" Harry lowered his eyes, having always hated disappointing Mrs Weasley, "Draco's missing, Charlie's missing, the Wedding may be completely off now, look at this mess you've created!"

"Charlie had a right to know who he was marrying, Mum," Ginny stated, though she didn't sound so sure now, "Whether it hurt him or not."

"When I ask you to grow up, Ginny, I mean that I want to you to _see_ that Draco is not the boy you knew in Hogwarts. Not anymore."

"You didn't hear him mum!" Ron countered, angrily.

"I heard _you!"_ She said, just as angrily, "Baiting him at every turn, never giving him a chance. If he said something to you in return, then I am not surprised to hear it, but right now I refuse to discuss that. It's been a long day and tomorrow we will have to see what's happening about the wedding on Tuesday." She sighed, putting her hands on her hips, before shooing them upstairs. Before they could go however, there was a _crack!_ and Malfoy appeared in the living space. He looked worn, his cheeks and eyes red and his hair a mess. His robes were covered in mud.

"Draco!" Mrs Weasley rushed forwards, sitting him down, "Oh dear, oh you poor thing," She scourged his robes and his hair, dusting him off while he just sat there, letting her, "There now. Are you alright?"

He blinked slowly, "Is he here? Did he come back?" Mrs Weasley's eyes saddened and she shook her head, putting an arm around his shoulders, "I thought - I thought if he heard it from me, if I told him, then - " He sighed, "Then maybe it would be _okay."_

"Because you'd omit things?" Harry couldn't help asking and Malfoy glared at him from where he sat.

"Because I could _explain_ it, I could - " He groaned, yanking at his hair, "Why am I even talking to you, this is all your fault."

"Our fault?" Ron blurted out, ignoring Mrs Weasley's death stare, "You're the one who could have saved all of this if you'd just apologised to us!"

"I was not a bully!" Malfoy snapped back, "You were just as bad as me, don't you dare try to - "

"You still can't admit it, can you?" Ron laughed humorlessly, "An apology would have fixed everything but you really just love painting yourself as a - "

"That's enough!" Mrs Weasley barked and Malfoy stood, his fists clenched at his sides and his face hard.

"Please tell me if Charlie comes back," He asked the stairs, refusing to look at either of them, "And - Mrs Weasley, if you could do me a favour?" She stood as well, nodding, "Could you retract the Wedding invites?" His voice shook, "I don't think there'll be one anymore." With that, he walked past them all to head upstairs to the room that he shared with Harry and Ron.

Harry woke from a fitful sleep, having found it hard to ignore Malfoy's curled body opposite him. He kept replaying the events at the reception, trying to justify them but seeing Malfoy looking so upset seemed to have thrown out any of his anger. He thought to how suspicious he'd been about their engagement, how he'd _known_ that Malfoy was up to something, but now it really did seem as though Malfoy truly loved Charlie.

He groaned, rolling over to face him and wondering if this had been a huge mistake. But then he noticed that Malfoy's mattress was empty. Cursing, he sat up and grabbed his wand, checking to see if Ron was alright and not hexed at all before standing to go and see where Malfoy had gone. It was an old habit really, but when it came to Malfoy and his previous Hogwarts days, the routine of following him around was natural now.

Mr and Mrs Weasley were laying on a larger mattress by the sofa downstairs, fast asleep, and Harry crept past them carefully. They didn't seem to be disturbed at all so maybe Malfoy hadn't come down here, or maybe he'd just apparated, but the crack would have woken them if he had. Frowning, Harry opened the kitchen door, freezing when he immediately heard a sound that he could only have recognised from his Sixth Year at Hogwarts.

"Oh no."

Malfoy was on his hands and knees on the floor, broken plates and ripped material around him. He was gasping, crying, completely oblivious to Harry being there. He'd cast a bubble around the room, keeping all sound out of the kitchen, but once Harry entered it fully he could hear everything and Malfoy snapped his head up to see him, "Get out!" He threw half a plate at him and it smashed silently, letting the Burrow sleep on while his spell worked, "Leave me alone, Potter, just - just leave me alone." He was wearing the shorts that he usually wore to bed but his shirt was torn and thrown aside beside him, leaving him half-naked.

He scrambled back, sitting against the table's leg and drawing his knees up. Harry saw the silvery scars of the _sectumsempra_ curse in it's slashes, spread over Malfoy's chest, and his stomach squeezed itself within his body. Hermione had been right. Malfoy may have been awful during Hogwarts but Harry hadn't been an angel himself either. They'd been as bad as each other and he'd held onto those grudges with everything he had.

"Malfoy. Are you - ?" He started to ask, stepping forward, but Malfoy interrupted him.

"I'm sorry ... " He moaned, sounding as tired as he looked, and Harry noticed an empty bottle of what looked like _chardonnay_ beside him, "I really am, Potter." He smiled humorlessly with a scoff, "You were right. I should have said it to you at the start, I know I should have, I just - " He sighed, wiping his face, "I just didn't want _Charlie_ to know, you know. About who I really am." He sniffed then, wiping his nose on the back of his hand and dropping his head back to stare at the ceiling, "I was stupid. And scared. I thought he'd _hate_ me and I didn't want that, I didn't - "

Harry sat down before him, crossing his legs in silence, letting him vent as he so clearly needed to. Malfoy looked at him through hooded eyes before visibly deciding to be honest, "Going to Romania was a new start for me. It was originally a rehabilitation sentence anyway and I planned to make the most of it. A - a new me with people who didn't know the old me. A me that was without any of the pressures of back home or the judgements or the memories," He sounded angry now, at himself, "I wasn't _planning_ on falling in love. And especially not with a _Weasley._ " He groaned, running a hand through his hair, "But it was okay at first. I thought no one would know, no one would care, but then he proposed and I ended up back in England with people who knew the old me and knew what I'd done and who I was and I just - I - I - "

"Panicked." Harry finished for him.

Malfoy nodded miserably. His lashes clumped together when he wiped at his eyes and he sniffed horribly, making a face at himself for it. Harry's lips quirked and he lifted his wand, "Accio _Aegritufen_." The blue bottle flew downstairs into his hand and he passed it to Malfoy, "Here."

Malfoy stared down at it, huffing out a short laugh, "I knew you didn't use it," He said petulantly, "You didn't trust me."

"Did you really blame me?"

"No. I know I should have said something when I first saw you. I should have done it right from the start, I know that, but I'm a coward. Like I always have been." The potion rolled between his fingers, "Nothing's changed." He sounded so upset that the guilt in Harry's chest expanded.

"We should have apologised too," He said softly, "You were right, before, when you said it wasn't just you. It wasn't. We should have said it too." He cleared his throat, "I mean, I'll say it now, if it helps. Because I am. I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all the stuff I ever said to you, Malfoy and I'm sorry for casting _sectumsempra_ on you," He grimaced, "And ... I'm sorry for ruining your Wedding."

"I'm sorry too," Malfoy whispered back, "I'm sorry for everything I ever said and did. I'm sorry for breaking your nose, and for insulting your parents and the Weasleys and - and for what I said about lying to Charlie. I would never have done it, I was just angry, and I - I'm just _sorry_."

"I get it." Harry told him, before smiling, "Guess we can be civil." Malfoy laughed softly, wiping at his face again, "But I really am sorry for doing this," He thought back, "I guess I was just suspicious of you at the same time. I thought that you couldn't really care about Charlie like this and I thought that you wanted something from us which was why you were doing this. So - seeing you interact with everyone, with the people I love, it was - I was judgemental. And I'm sorry." Malfoy gave him a small smile.

"I love Charlie," He told Harry, "I really do. Roll your eyes if you want, I don't care. I just - I'd hoped he'd be able to know the new me." Snorting, he looked down at himself, "Not as different from the old me as I'd hoped." Harry's eyes found the darkmark and he saw several long scars that covered it, making it seem uglier than it's original but also managing to cover it's true nature. Malfoy must have hexed himself trying to be rid of it once and that alone convinced Harry of what Mrs Weasley must have meant.

"I think you've changed," He said firmly, "I think I was just an idiot for not seeing it." Malfoy smiled again and they sat like that for a minute longer before he suddenly lifted his wand from the floor and sent a stinging hex Harry's way, "Ouch!" He glared, rubbing it, before Malfoy pushed his own wand toward him.

"Now me," He said and Harry raised an eyebrow, sending the same hex toward him and watching him flinch, "There."

Harry laughed, "That's it?"

"We've apologised, and we've hurt each other one last time. That's it," Malfoy heaved himself up, "Besides, by tomorrow I'll be out of your hair forever anyway. I can't go back to Romania, not now, and I'm not staying here." He pulled on his coat and Harry noticed a bag of living essentials and a few clothes that he hadn't even seen sitting there. Malfoy picked them up, and turned to Harry with another smile, "At least we were civil for this." Was all he said before walking away toward the door. Harry frowned after him before he realised what was happening.

"Wait! Where are you going to go?" But by the time he'd asked it, Malfoy had apparated.

Tomorrow morning was terrible. Harry had spent the early hours of it cleaning the mess that Malfoy had left and then telling everyone that he had packed and left. Mrs Malfoy had apparated to check the Manor whilst Mrs Weasley fretted over Charlie still not being back. Harry took advantage of the situation to tell Ron, Ginny and George about last night, and they looked gloomier than ever when he'd finished.

"We really messed up, didn't we," Ron mumbled, looking as guilty as Harry felt, "After the War, that - thing - just stuck with Malfoy in my mind."

"The word you're looking for is 'stigma'," Ginny muttered and she tied her hair back, frowning, "Look. I don't know where Malfoy is but we need to find Charlie too. We need to make sure he's alright."

"I've got a guess at where he might be," George said, and instead of telling them where he disapparated to wherever it was right away only to return a second later and shake his head, "There's a farm a few fields away," He explained, "We used to fly over there sometimes, to see the horses. I thought - " He sighed, sitting down.

"What about Bill and Fleur's?" Harry asked.

"Maybe. You could check." Ginny said, rubbing her chin, "I'll check the nearest portkey holders, see if any went to Romania." They apparated together, for different places, and Harry stumbled over the familiar beach outside Bill and Fleur's cottage a second later. He felt disorientated and it took a moment for him to find his bearings and by then, his eyes had found Charlie. He sighed, relieved.

"Figured you'd be the one to know I was here," Charlie stood from where he'd been crouched a few feet away, turning to face him, "Ron always said that you had a knack for just 'knowing things'." He shrugged with a bitter smile, "Wish I had that quality. Maybe then I wouldn't be the gullible idiot I was, if I did."

"Charlie - "

"No, Harry!" He held a hand up, angrily, "I don't want to hear it. Just go back home and tell mum that I'm okay, alright?" He put his hands in his pockets, having changed into Bill's casual clothes while here, "I need to think."

"Think, then," Harry said quickly, moving in his way, "But first listen. Please." Charlie sighed, looking at him, and Harry ploughed into a quick explanation just in case he changed his mind, "We showed you those memories at the Reception because we thought we were helping. We thought Malfoy would try to take you away, lie to you about us, and we wanted you to know who you were marrying," Saying it outloud now, it sounded ridiculous. As though they'd believed that they knew how Charlie would react to lies against his family better than he did. They'd had no right to make that judgement, "But he isn't who I thought he was, Charlie, not anymore. He's changed," He spread his hands helplessly, "And he really loves you. I can see that now."

Charlie sighed again, "What I saw - "

"Was only half the story," Harry interrupted, "Yes, he was a prick to us, but you know those scars? On his chest?" Charlie nodded slowly, "I gave those to him. He may have started most fights but we gave it back just as hard. And, really," He laughed softly, "We were kids. Teenagers," Charlie looked away, "And if the Malfoy that I once knew would never even even speak civilly toward a Weasley let alone agree to marry one, then the one you knew must be a whole lot different."

There was a pause between them while Harry waited for his words to sink in before a sudden _crack!_ behind him startled them both.

"Crookshanks!" Hermione shouted over the ocean's crashing waves, and at first Harry wasn't sure he'd heard her right. He frowned at her, confused, and she panted when she finally reached them, "Crookshanks! He's - my cat - he's incredibly smart," She explained, "He knew Sirius was a good man before even Lupin did, remember, and he _loved_ Malfoy," She straightened, looking Charlie in the eye, "And he'd called me 'Mudblood' countless times as a child but I've forgiven him. It's time to move on," Her eyes were open and earnest and even without looking at Charlie, Harry knew that what they had come to say had gotten through.

Charlie stared at them both, scrunching his face up as he thought, before he let out a growl of frustration that echoed over the beach. Blowing out his cheeks, he sighed, "I need to go back. I need to talk to him, hear this from _him_." Hermione's face fell and he froze, "What?"

"He's not there," She said, "We don't know where he is."

"What do you mean?" Charlie demanded, sounding worried, "He's not come back at all?"

"He came back last night," Harry said, "But packed enough for a few nights and left. We don't know where he went but he said he couldn't go back to Romania so - " Charlie disapparated before he could finish and Hermione glanced at Harry before following. When he arrived back at the Burrow, however, Charlie was already running up the stairs and calling for Mrs Weasley at the top of his voice. Ginny came running down as well, seeing Harry and rushing towards him.

"Was he there? Did you explain everything to him?" Harry nodded in answer to both questions and they heard Mrs Weasley above them, telling Charlie that he was 'irresponsible' for not telling her where he was and that she had no idea where Malfoy had gone, "We should do something."

"Like what?" Hermione asked, "He's not at the Manor, Romania or here. I don't know where else he'd go."

"Zabini?" Harry suggested but she shook her head.

"They're not that close anymore and I haven't a clue where he lives." She chewed her lip, more worried than Harry had ever seen her over something like this, and she visibly startled when George suddenly apparated before them.

"Where is he?" He asked, looking around madly, but he heard Charlie's voice before either of them could answer and ran toward the stairs, bellowing up them, "Charlie! Charlie go to Highgate Cemetery!" There was a sudden pause from all the shouting upstairs following by a _crack!_ that showed Charlie had heard and understood.

"The _graveyard?"_ Ginny asked her brother, "What made you think of that?"

He smiled blandly, "I go there to think sometimes too, I mean - my twin _is_ buried there," He shrugged, forcefully casual, "And he always knew how to finish my thoughts.

The waiting was horrible but Mrs Malfoy and Weasley spent the time pretending not to worry by talking about whatever mundane thing that they could start a conversation over. Their hope for their sons to be happy was the one common factor that let them get along and soon they were laughing over the sofa, bringing up memories of their children's younger days.

Hermione had discovered that Malfoy had written a letter before he'd gone and that it had been an apology to them all, even Harry as he had evidently not expected him to come down to see him, and after reading it Ginny had stomped upstairs, ripped a page from an old journal and written a formal apology of her own for what she had done to the Reception.

Ron had added a heartfelt ' _\+ Ron_ ' after her signed name at the bottom and George had added an _' & George'_ beside it as well.

Two hours passed before Charlie apparated back but he only came to take the miniature Gregoir that Fleur had rescued with him and he disapparated again before anyone could ask about what was happening. He returned again twenty minutes later, however, this time with Malfoy who looked just as worn as he had last night but with a lightness that hadn't been there before as well.

Mrs Malfoy jumped to her feet and hugged her son so tightly that he gasped. She held him close and with his voice muffled, he murmured that he hoped Mrs Weasley hadn't yet retracted the invites as he'd asked before. Bursting into tears, Mrs Weasley pulled Charlie to her as well and joined the Malfoy's hug, making them all look so ridiculous that Harry couldn't help but smile.

"Weasley's always have the most dramatic pre-wedding-blues," George sighed, watching the hug as though it were a trainwreck.

.

* * *

.

The robes that Bastien had sewn for them to wear were Seashell white and Harry and Ron dressed together, looking them over in the mirror that Harry had transfigured.

"They're actually ... pretty decent," Ron said, smoothing down the front and turning to check that he'd buttoned them down properly, "I like them." They were knee-length, with a pinker shade of white for the inner waistcoats, and the sleeves had been embroidered with silver criss-crossing lines.

Harry couldn't help but agree, pulling on the white pant trousers; they were tight but as Bastien had personally measured them all he supposed that that was the design.

There was a clatter of heels and Hermione hurried inside in a snow white dress, her hair was pinned up with what seemed like a wreath of white roses, and Ron looked struck dumb once he saw her, "Have you seen my bag?" She asked, looking harried, "Ginny swears she hasn't seen it but - "

"Didn't Charlie say they were going to give you a bag to use?" Harry asked, looking about the room to help her.

"Yes, and they did," She looked embarrassed now, "It's the one I've lost. I only took it out of the box last night, I don't know where it could have gone!"

"Is everything alright?" Malfoy knocked on the door once before entering, which was more than Hermione had done and only emphasised what Ginny had said before about his ingrained politeness. He wasn't ready yet himself, wearing the same cream robe that he'd worn before the reception had started.

"Yes!" Hermione said quickly, at the same time as Ron who said, "She can't find her bag." Hermione glared at him but Malfoy only smiled.

"Crookshank's been looking for you all morning," Was all he said to that, before opening the door and calling down the stairs, "I've found her!" In an orange blur, Crookshanks bounded upstairs with a bag in his mouth, and he skidded past Harry to stop at Hermione's feet.

She bent to take the bag back, petting him, "Oh good boy! You were keeping it safe for me, were you? Good _boy!"_

"I'm downstairs if anything else's lost," Malfoy said over her cooing, "Otherwise we'll _all_ panic." He left then, shutting the door after him, and Hermione lifted Crookshanks into her arms.

"You know, while I appreciate that you like Draco, remember that I'm the one who bought you," Crookshanks just blinked at her, wriggling to get down, and she scourged her clothes of his hair when he squeezed past the almost closed door and went downstairs as well.

"Why didn't you just accio your bag?" Ron asked her, raising an eyebrow, and she stopped.

"I - don't know," She chuckled at herself, "I panicked?" Glancing at the door, she lowered her voice, "He's being so nice."

"So are we." Harry pointed out, "And he is getting married today."

"Exactly. I thought he'd be more stressed or complaining that we don't look good enough, or something. But he seems fine."

"Well he'd be mad to complain about you," Ron said, "You look beautiful."

"Oh." Hermione beamed at him, pointing her wand at his waistcoat until it tightened just a little, "Well now you do too." He laughed, kissing her, and then all three of them left to head downstairs too.

"Is the Wedding going to be at the Manor again?" Harry asked, curiously, taking a seat on the sofa while Hermione and Ron sat opposite.

"No, it's inside Carlton Towers," Hermione answered, smoothing her dress down. She'd painted her lips red and her bag was also red, contrasting well with what she was wearing, "It's a Castle, in Yorkshire, I think. We're going by portkey."

"Won't that ruin our clothes?" Ron asked, warily.

"It'd better not," Malfoy said, joining them, "I asked Bastien to take the travelling into account. They should be fine."

"Oh. Good." Ron smiled slightly, looking very unsure of what to say now that insulting Malfoy automatically wasn't necessary, "Are you not going to get dressed?"

"I'm getting ready there," He said and Charlie suddenly apparated in the middle of them, "The cake?" Malfoy asked him immediately.

"It's ready and being sent to the Castle," Charlie assured him, also dressed in casual robes for now. He didn't seem angry nor wary and Harry realised that he was truly glad that their relationship hadn't been destroyed by the reception's events, "We should head there soon too, where is everybody?"

"My mother's taken your mother there already, and Mr Weasley's gone to collect your Aunt," Malfoy said, a tiny bit of panic seeping into his voice now, "She doesn't like to travel alone apparently."

"She doesn't like anything," Ron told him.

"I've noticed that, yeah," He rolled his eyes, "All we need from the Burrow is George and Ginny and we can go too."

Charlie turned to Harry expectantly and he startled, "Oh. I'll - er, I'll go get Ginny." Before he could move however, George came running downstairs. He was in a purple ball gown and had it bunched to his chest to save him from tripping, "Er."

Ron and Hermione burst out laughing and George's face didn't help stop it, "It wasn't like this when I put it on!" He huffed, letting the dress fall until it billowed around him, "It was a white suit! Like yours!" He pointed at Ron, before flapping his arms helplessly, "I don't know what happened, I - " He turned to Charlie and Malfoy and his words died in his throat. Malfoy was grinning, " _You_."

Raising an eyebrow, Malfoy smirked, "It only changes if you complain about the Wedding," He said, "Good thing you decided to do that here, and not at the Castle." George blanched, glancing down, and Malfoy took his wand out of a pocket in his robes and said, " _Finite Incantatem_." The dress rippled back into white dress robes, "Mrs Weasley told me you don't like Weddings," He explained, "And you did almost kill me."

George snorted in disbelief, looking at Charlie, before shaking his head, "Welcome to the Weasleys, Malfoy," He said and Malfoy smiled, "But - er - it won't do this all day will it?"

Malfoy shrugged, "Better not try it."

George narrowed his eyes, "This won't end here, I won't be outplayed," He threatened, "Know that." Charlie laughed, "Romania won't be far enough to hide, Charlie, I don't know why you're laughing."

Charlie opened his mouth to reply but Malfoy's watch chimed and they all glanced down at it, "Right. We need to leave to get to the portkey." Harry quickly stood to go and get Ginny, running up the stairs and knocking on her bedroom's door.

She opened it immediately, holding a similar white dress to her chest. She was wearing it, but when she turned, Harry saw that it was unzipped, "Finally," She snapped, "I've been calling. I forgot the bloody spell for zips that mum taught me," She reached behind and fumbled with the zip, "Ugh."

"Here." Harry zipped her up whilst she held the dress in place and she smoothed it down. Her hair was tied in an elaborate bun, and she had the same wreath that Hermione had in hers, "Perfect."

She turned to face him and smiled, "Always am." He grinned, taking her by the hand, "Now let's go, we're late."

There were more guests at the Wedding than had been at the Reception but Mrs Weasley had already politely asked that no one mention what had happened to the grooms' reception and that had started some gossip.

Ginny had been asked about it by a woman that Harry had never met before and her answer of it being a prank gone wrong had been spread until most guests were satisfied and hadn't bothered to care anymore, "Good thing Rita Skeeter's not a guest," She muttered to Harry as they found their seats in the hall.

The Castle had been set up beautifully, not as large as Hogwarts had been, but it had a Victorian feel to it that made it seem more aristocratic than homely and it suited a Wedding perfectly. The function was being held inside whilst the actual vows would be outside in the snow. Mrs Weasley's spell hadn't been necessary in the end as the weather brought it's own bout of snow itself and Ms Goodfellow had erected an archway of white roses for Charlie and Malfoy to stand under.

Fleur had gazed at it longingly when she passed it by, "Ah, Ms Goodfellow should do a' Vedding," She'd sighed and Bill had given her a look.

"We're already married."

"Yes. But ve can do it again someday."

Malfoy and Charlie were nowhere to be seen currently, they'd both disappeared right after they'd arrived to get ready, and Mrs Malfoy had gone with her son as well. More and more guests were slowly arriving in either white or red, as per requested in their invites, and Harry noticed that Elenda had brought a few others with her from Romania.

"Is that Phenus Wendeirs?" Hermione said in awe, staring at them.

"Who?" Ron asked, turning to look.

"Phenus Wendeirs, the first known Wizard to actually _catch_ and tame a dragon," She explained, "He raised it from birth and it's never once turned on him. Ever."

"Charlie should learn from him," Ron said, "Especially with Norberta."

"He's obviously trying to, he invited him as a guest," Hermione grabbed him by the arm, "Let's go say something, quickly, I have so many questions."

"About _dragons?"_

"About what he _learned_ from his dragon, there could be so much that he could have picked up whilst raising it," She frogmarched him over to the group and Elenda happily introduced them. Harry smiled after them, deciding to stay in his seat with Ginny. Unlike Bill and Fleur's wedding, neither of them were in charge of the guests and every table was dedicated to a group, with their names written on it.

Harry had a table with Ginny, Hermione, Ron, George, Bill and Fleur, and he saw that Charlie and Malfoy's friends from Romania were all put on one table as well. Zabini had brought two guests with him, a Slytherin girl that Harry remembered seeing years ago and a man that he didn't recognise at all, and they sat on either side of him whilst he drank from a tall glass of water.

Mr Weasley had brought Aunt Muriel and had then apparated again to help Andromeda bring Teddy while she carried some baby essentials for him, just in case.

"Harry," Ginny waved a hand in his face and he blinked, turning to look at her, "Behind you." Spinning in his chair, he saw Mrs Malfoy standing by the doorway trying to get his attention and he winced. Had something gone wrong?

He quickly stood and walked toward her while she fiddled with her white dress nervously, "Ah, Harry," His name sounded foreign in her mouth, "Draco wants to talk to you," He frowned but she didn't wait for an answer, "He's behind the second room, that way," Pointing down the stone hallway, she turned and went to find her seat inside.

"Er - okay." He chewed on his lip, meeting Ginny's eyes from across the hall until she stood to come and join him.

"What did she say?"

"That Malfoy wants to talk to me."

"Oh," She brushed her fringe aside, "Well go on then, the Wedding's going to start in a few minutes, it's almost 4 o'clock."

"But what does he want?"

She raised an eyebrow, "Go find out," She nudged him, "Take your wand though. Just in case," He scoffed and she grinned, "One day that suspicion will go, I promise, but for now ..."

He sighed, turning into the hallway and heading down it. The second door was closed when he reached it and as he knocked he heard a curse from behind it, "Er. Malfoy?" The door opened and he took a step back in surprise, suddenly sure that Malfoy would attack him but instead they just stared at each other, "Your mum called me."

"Good. Come in," Malfoy stepped aside for him to walk in. The room was similar to a smaller version of Bastien's store, with a singular platform and a full-length mirror. He pulled free his cream robes and they fell to the ground, revealing his Wedding clothes from underneath. They were a much brighter white than Harry's and Ron's, and the embroidery was black and curled around the collar and sleeves. Unlike theirs, there was also no waistcoat and the robes simply fastened together, "I wanted to talk to you."

"That's what she told me, yeah."

Malfoy nodded, running a hand through his hair. It was thinner compared to Harry's so it simply fluttered back into shape, and fanned around his forehead and cheeks, "You hated my father." He said then, avoiding looking directly at Harry and looking through the mirror instead, "Didn't you."

"Yes. I did." Harry sighed, "I'm sorry if it's not what you want to hear, but - "

"No, I don't care about that, not right now. I just - I know you hated him but you're the only one I know who saw more of him than others. My Mother doesn't count and Professor Snape's - well." He made a face, "Most everyone else was a Death Eater too."

"What's this about, Malfoy?"

Suddenly turning, Malfoy looked him dead in the eye, "Do you think he'd be happy with me? From what you know and saw of him, do you think he'd be alright with this? With me marrying Charlie? A Weasley?"

Taken aback, Harry automatically went to say that 'no, he wouldn't' but then he really thought about it. While Lucius Malfoy would most definitely not be alright with his son marrying a Weasley, after some time he might have warmed to the idea, if only for Malfoy's sake. But then again, he wasn't really sure.

"You don't think so." Malfoy concluded from his face.

"That's not it," He said quickly, "I just - I don't know. I can't answer that for you, I'm sorry." Malfoy gave him a look, "Well I could always tell you what you want to hear, but what would that do?"

"Well look who sounds mature," Malfoy smiled and Harry bristled for all of three seconds before he realised that he was only joking. This would take some getting used to, "I'm trying to think he would be. I hope he would be."

"Well like you said, 'new you'. Maybe it doesn't matter that much, anymore" Harry said, shrugging. Malfoy smiled, cleared his throat and smoothing down his robes.

"Potter." He looked unsure of himself for a moment before lifting his chin and asking, "Harry. ... Will you walk me down the aisle?" Harry blinked, "We wanted to be traditional as we're both Purebloods, and I didn't mind walking down. I was actually looking forward to it but now - " He sucked in a breath, "I don't want to go down alone."

"Why me?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"You saved my life at Hogwarts. Twice," Malfoy reminded him, "I've never forgotten that, whatever you may think. I want this Wedding to bring 'new me' closer to people from 'old me's' life," He held out his hand, "Starting with you, Saint Potter."

Harry's lips twitched involuntarily at the old insult and he glanced down, taking that hand, "Sure. I'll walk you down, Draco." Malfoy's answering smile was infectious.

The winter's snow made the archway glitter under the sunlight and it really helped create the whole Winter-theme that Charlie and Draco had so wanted. Bill leant over and dusted some snow off of Charlie's robes, his own red ones speckled with white as well, much like a muggle's christmas card.

"Oh!" Someone gasped, and as one, the guests turned to see what had caused it, a rise of shocked murmurs spreading through them all as Harry walked beside Malfoy down the aisle. They walked as friends, close enough that their shoulders brushed, and Ginny and Elenda walked in front, their white dresses flowing across the snow covered floor. It was all very traditional, as Malfoy had said before, but Harry had only ever been a guest at a Wedding and had never really such a main part.

He hated himself for agreeing to this when every single eye turned to stare at them and the back of his neck prickled uncomfortably, but the reminder of Malfoy's smile at his answer pushed most of those thoughts out and he straightened his back, trying to follow the music. Leaving Malfoy at the archway, he joined Hermione, Ron and George, and Ginny left her flower basket behind to join them as well. They had front row seats and George snickered when they noticed that Charlie's ears had turned the signature Weasley red.

Phenus joined them, as an apparent part-time priest as well as a Dragon-Tamer, and he began the vows while Malfoy and Charlie faced each other.

"Is that what Malfoy wanted?" Ron whispered to Harry as they listened, "For you to walk him down?"

"More or less, yeah," Harry whispered back.

"I swear Mum cries at every Wedding," George muttered to them then, snowflakes in his red hair as they sat on the chairs outside for the actual ceremony.

"And just how many Weddings have you been to with her, George?" Hermione asked him dryly. He stuck his tongue out at her and she rolled her eyes. He was right, however, as Mrs Weasley was currently sitting beside Mrs Malfoy and Andromeda and sobbing quietly into a tissue, "I think she was more touched about Harry walking Malfoy down than anything else anyway."

"I hope I didn't look too nervous," Harry worried, thinking back to how stiffly he'd walked down beside Malfoy, with everyone's eyes on them both.

"You looked like you'd walked through a ghost, so not nervous no," Ginny told him, smiling, "But I don't think anyone was looking at you anyway."

"Ha ha," Harry muttered, knowing that she was lying even without her tone. Harry Potter walks Draco Malfoy down the aisle at his Wedding? There was no way that neither of them had caught everyone's attention. Maybe that was what Malfoy had really wanted, a shock to make people remember his big moment, but his asking Harry before had seemed so sincere that if that was the case, the shock must have been just a bonus.

They all settled down then, listening to the vows properly and as they watched, Charlie took one of Malfoy's hands and squeezed.

"I do," He completed his vow softly, his blue eyes glazed.

"Then I consider you both bonded," Phenus finally announced, smiling, "Merlin help us all," The guests laughed and Malfoy grinned at Charlie, leaning in to kiss him hard. George whooped loudly and, with the ceremony over, they were all eventually directed back inside by Ms Goodfellow, who had yet another strict schedule to keep.

Malfoy and Charlie had the same long table as they'd had at the reception inside, with Mr and Mrs Weasley, Mrs Malfoy, Andromeda and Teddy with them, and once they'd been seated everyone else took theirs at the set tables. The cake had only two tiers and had been decorated with gold and silver dragons along the edges of the white frosting. They cut the first slice together and by then, Mrs Malfoy scowled down at the table when a single tear made itself known over her cheek. Charlie ate half the slice, giving the rest to Malfoy, and with that done the guests were all served dinner.

"Best part of Weddings," Ron repeated gleefully, tucking in, and Hermione laughed. Harry looked over the tables at Malfoy, watching him comfort Teddy who still didn't like the cold, and he felt none of the suspicion that he'd felt before. Maybe this was what closure felt like because when Malfoy met his gaze and smiled, he smiled back, and their age old antagonism didn't rise to bait at all.

"Yeah," He agreed with Ron, his smile widening when Teddy tried to feed Charlie a piece of cucumber, "The best."

~ The End ~

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End file.
